Building Strong Foundations: Early Learning at New Hope Supports Childhood Brain Development
At New Hope for Families, we believe that every child, regardless of their circumstances, deserves the opportunity to grow, thrive, and succeed. You probably know that we offer emergency shelter for families experiencing homelessness, but our work doesn’t stop there. Through our Early Learning Center, we provide one of the most powerful tools for breaking the cycle of poverty: early childhood education.
Why Early Learning Matters
The science is clear. The first eight years of life are the most critical period for brain development. During these formative years, a child’s brain develops more than a million new neural connections every second—connections that shape how they think, learn, and interact with the world around them (1; 2). These connections are heavily influenced by the child’s environment.
For children experiencing homelessness, that environment is often unpredictable and filled with stressors. But when children are placed in a safe, nurturing, and responsive environment that offers trauma informed care—like New Hope Early Learning Center—those early experiences can dramatically improve long-term health, educational, and economic outcomes (3).
Creating a Safe Space to Learn and Grow
At New Hope, we provide far more than child care. We create a structured, supportive space where young minds are protected from the instability and trauma that can undermine healthy development. Each day, our Early Learning Center offers age-appropriate, research-backed programming that promotes:
Cognitive development and school readiness
Emotional regulation and social skills
Physical health and wellness
Language and communication skills
We meet each child where they are—offering individualized attention and developmentally appropriate activities while ensuring parents can pursue work or housing with the confidence that their child is safe and thriving.
True to our whole-child approach, we also integrate enrichment activities that build curiosity and confidence. For eight years and counting, our Plot to Tot garden program has given children the opportunity to explore nature, food, and science through hands-on learning. Whether they’re planting seeds, harvesting vegetables, or tasting new flavors, children learn about the world around them in ways that spark joy and connection.
In the past year alone, our Early Learning Center served 79 children between the ages of six weeks and five years old (4). Every one of those children received high-quality care ensuring that no child falls behind because of circumstances beyond their control.
Make an Investment In the Future
Childhood should be a time of wonder and discovery, not worry and disruption. Your support helps ensure that every child at New Hope has the chance to build a healthy, resilient future. Whether you make a financial contribution or volunteer your service, you can be part of something transformative.
Join the Hope Movement today: Help us build brighter futures for local families.
Early Brain Development and Health. (February 2023). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/early-brain-development.html
Brain Development in Early Childhood. (March 2023). Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/blog/early-childhood-brain-development-and-health/
The Unique Relations between Early Homelessness and Educational Well-Being: An Empirical Test of the Continuum of Risk Hypothesis. (January 2015). Children and Youth Services Review. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190740914004113