The Bright Horizons Foundation for Children 2014 Impact Report Celebrates 15 Years of Making a Difference

In recognition of its 15th Anniversary, the Bright Horizons Foundation for Children issued its 2014 Impact Report: Voices of Gratitude. This comprehensive report summarizes the progress and success the Foundation has experienced in continuing its mission of helping children and families who have endured homelessness or other crises. Several ways the Foundation has experienced this success and growth, include:

• Bright Spaces. A child’s development can often be affected by homelessness and other traumas. The Bright Horizons Foundation for Children partners with agencies across the country and the United Kingdom to create and support warm, safe, enriching spaces for children of all ages. Here, children can build caring relationships, heal from trauma through play, and experience the joy of childhood. The 2014 Impact Report: Voices of Gratitude, tells the story of Safe Haven in Tennessee, the one of the first Bright Spaces that opened in 2000. In the past 14 years, Safe Haven has expanded and is currently the only shelter-to-housing program of its kind in middle Tennessee that accepts entire homeless families.
• Volunteers. Whether it’s volunteering at a local Bright Space, collecting toys and games for donations, tutoring a homeless child, or hosting a fundraiser, volunteers have made a significant impact on the Bright Horizons Foundation for Children over the past 15 years. The 2014 Impact Report: Voices of Gratitude explains how Tameka Lee, a Bright Horizons Program Coordinator, has been a Bright Space volunteer in Seattle for the past three years.
• Foundation Grants. The Bright Horizons Foundation for Children Employee Grants Program provides monetary contributions to nonprofit organizations where Bright Horizons employees volunteer. For instance, Regional Manager Sheila Ford received a  grant for the Donelson Hermitage Warriors Football League, where she volunteers three nights a week and every Saturday of the month from July to November. Project Linus, Animal Rescue League of Boston, and Scouting programs for boys and girls are just a few of the organizations that have received these grants. 
• Donors. Bright Horizons employees are dedicated volunteers, as well as financial supporters of the Foundation. To date, employees have raised millions of dollars in the annual Employee Giving Campaign and hosted special events across the country to raise funds for children in need. For instance, in 2013 employees and their families across the country have raised over $85,000 for the Foundation as a result of holding Walk-On events. 

In taking the next step in the Foundation’s journey, the Bright Space Legacy Fund, created through the generosity of Bright Horizons senior leaders, will serve as a catalyst to create the next generation of Bright Spaces that will be a hub of exciting new programming to support and enhance the Foundations partner agencies’ work. Its focus will not just be on creating beautiful spaces for children to play, but ever more important, enhancing what happens inside those spaces.

Looking forward, the future of the Bright Horizons Foundation for Children appears bright.