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What We Do

OCDC provides Early Childhood Care and Education services to children, pregnant women and families. We connect families to programs, services and opportunities in the community. We drive children to school, teach kids to read and write, and visit families in their homes. We provide well-paying living wage jobs in communities throughout Oregon and embrace cultural diversity and practice inclusiveness.

1. We prepare children for school by focusing on early childhood care, education and teacher development.
2. We promote economic opportunities for families and communities by providing services that support the workforce and, in turn, state and local economies.
3. We partner with the community by collaborating with dentists, doctors, educators, health care providers, emergency food care providers, school districts, employers and state and local service providers and key stakeholders.
4. We practice inclusiveness by welcoming all cultures and languages and enhance their contribution to society by creating better learners and better citizens.

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Who We Serve

Migrant & Seasonal Farm Workers

The majority of OCDC’s families are migrant and seasonal farm workers. “Migrant” families travel to follow harvesting seasons; families that stop migrating to work in the fields from permanent home are defined as “seasonal” farm worker families. OCDC’s farm worker families typically live at or below poverty income and are coping with a myriad of challenges, including housing insecurity, hunger, high exposure to pesticides and other pollutants or chemicals, barriers to traditional social services and more.

Low-Income Families

OCDC’s Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten (OPK), Preschool Promise (PSP), Preschool for All (PFA), and Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships (EHS CCP) programs are not restricted to farm workers; these programs serve the neediest families in the surrounding community. This typically includes families coping with poverty, families experiencing homelessness or other needs. Families with foster children also receive special consideration.

Children with Disabilities and Developmental Delays

OCDC’s classrooms are required to enroll at least 10% of children with identified disabilities or developmental delays. This ensures that children who need early intervention the most can benefit from our teams of specialists and our network of support services. Our classroom teachers are thoughtfully trained to create inclusive, supportive environments that are responsive to the needs of children with disabilities and developmental delays.