Philanthropic Consultations Further Donors’ Impact in Early Education

CCF donors Jeanne and Robert Segal are furthering awareness about the importance of the attachment relationship between babies and their primary caretakers through a wide-reaching collaborative project, as a result of donor research and philanthropic consultation, among the many services that CCF offers.

When the Segals requested that CCF identify funding opportunities aligned with their passions, CCF proposed two options with a comparative analysis based on key factors including cost, leadership and number of families that could be potentially served.

The couple chose a project that met their goal of providing accessible information about the first year of life and the importance of the attachment bond to low-income families through the Early Moments Matter toolkit.  The kit shares information about attachment with parents and caregivers, and helps them build a relationship that will strengthen their children’s mental, emotional and social development. The grant from The Segal Fund provides for a Spanish language version of the toolkits and distribution to thousands of families in Los Angeles through the Children’s Bureau, a CCF grantee, working with Cause & Affect, a company that runs social change campaigns.

“The quality of the attachment relationship is the single most important factor in determining the future of our children,” said Jeanne. “Here is where it all starts, and that is what makes this subject such a sound investment for a funder.”

The toolkit is part of a two-year project driven by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s Vulcan Productions that includes a three-part, nationally broadcast series on PBS, This Emotional Life, a national outreach campaign and two educational toolkits. The series aired on Jan. 4-6, 2010. Find out more about the series and early childhood attachment.

The couple’s passion for the attachment concept grew from a book that former CCF CEO Jack Shakely gave them, Neurons to Neighborhoods. In addition to philanthropic giving, Jeanne, a psychologist, has since hosted conferences, written books on the subject and incorporated the concept into the couple’s Web site, helpguide.org.

For more information about CCF's specialized services, contact Director of Donor Relations Terri Mosqueda at (213) 452-6298.