Some problems can feel too big to solve. Take education: Some kids get the early learning and development they need before they turn five. Too many others don't, simply because of the zip code they're born into. They start kindergarten already behind. But in a corner of Long Beach, California, there's a program supported by Comic Relief that’s closing that gap, one child, one family, at a time.

Educare Long Beach is an early learning center for children from birth until five that sits right next to an elementary school on what used to be its parking lot. While there's nothing else like Educare in the area, the center is part of a broader network of 25 Educare programs across the country, each of which is shaped by the community it serves.

In Long Beach, this localization shows up as free, full-day, year-round care with dual-language classrooms — which is significant in a city where nearly 44% of residents are Hispanic. Children also keep the same teacher for the first three years, then transition to another teacher at the school who they stay with until they’re ready for kindergarten.

Comic Relief has supported the Educare Network since 2018 because we believe the most powerful solutions to childhood poverty are built by the communities who are closest to the problem — and because we know that when families get the support they need, children thrive. Educare doesn't just teach kids: it works with their whole family, because if a parent doesn't have the resources they need to help their child, it's a lot harder for that child to succeed, no matter how strong the classroom is.

Every Family Gets a Partner

Long Beach is a diverse city of roughly 450,000 people. Educare is based in one of its lower-income neighborhoods, near one of the largest public housing developments in Los Angeles County. The need here is real. In the Long Beach school district, 64% of students are socioeconomically disadvantaged, and one in five families rely on food assistance.

Maria Harris has spent years leading Educare in Long Beach, first as its on-site director and now in a broader role overseeing early childhood programs across the district. Maria says that from the moment a family enrolls, they become equal partners in their child's education. Each family is paired with a staff member trained to build a long-term relationship as opposed to just handling one program or meeting.

"What are your dreams? What are your aspirations?" is what every new parent gets asked, Maria explains. "Where do you see yourself in five years? Where do you see your child in five years, in ten years? How do you see yourself financially, education-wise, health-wise?" 

This is how the family support specialist begins the partnership that will shape each family's Educare experience.

It's not about handing someone a pamphlet and wishing them luck. "We're with you. We're going to walk with you," is how Maria describes the school's 360 degree involvement. In one small example of the level of support Educare provides, if a child has a doctor’s appointment and the family has no way to get there, staff will provide transportation accommodations, then follow up to see how it went. 

One Mom's Story

One Long Beach mother came to Educare with two young sons who had been asked to leave other childcare programs because of behavior problems. At Educare, staff found the truth: one of the boys had a speech and language delay. He was having trouble being understood, and that frustration looked like aggression.

Once he got the proper care, things changed, for him and also for his mother, who realized she too needed support. "She had kind of lost herself in trying to find help for her child, trying to prioritize family and work," Maria said. She was able to connect with mental health services right at the school, which saved her the hassle of having to find a different provider.

When the time came for her older son to move up to elementary school, Educare didn't just send him on his way. Instead, the staff invited his new school's counselor, principal, and psychologist to visit Educare first to observe him in class,meet his family, and understand him before he ever walked into the new school building. The elementary staff told Maria they'd never seen anything like it.

Years later, this mom is a leader in her community and both sons are doing well in school.

It's easy to see how this family’s trajectory could have gone differently. But this is what free, full-family support looks like in practice, and it's what Educare brings to the more than 200 children and 160 families it serves in Long Beach every year. A child gets the help they need, a parent finds their footing, and a whole family moves forward together. That kind of change doesn't happen in a classroom alone, it happens when an entire community shows up.

Built by the Community It Serves

At Comic Relief, we believe programs work best when the people closest to a community help shape it because they understand local needs better than anyone else could. Educare Long Beach works with an advisory board made up of families and community members to figure out where funding and other resources should go, based on what people say is needed. When local families said mental health support was a priority, Educare found a way to bring it directly into the building, thanks in part to donor support.

Maria has watched hundreds of families move through this cycle, arriving with real challenges and leaving with new confidence and a sense of what's possible. "Every family, every situation is so unique," she said. "There's always an opportunity. If you open up, and welcome that relationship, change will happen."