Tipping Point grantee Kidango provides free to low-cost, high-quality early learning programs that support children during their most crucial developmental years.
Lissete Frausto, Parent Organizer at Kidango, has helped advocate for new policies that expand quality childcare to more children and families across the state.
Lissete’s first experiences with early childcare were difficult. After looking for childcare centers throughout Oakland and finding them all full, she enrolled her five-month old son in a home daycare that her coworker told her about.
One day, Lissete came at pickup time to the worst news—her son was experiencing a medical emergency. After multiple ER trips and doctor’s visits, she found out that her son was shaken. Full of anxiety and distrust, Lissete struggled to balance the aspects of her daily life.
A social worker told Lissete about Kidango. While she wasn’t ready to send her son back to a childcare center, she explored the option for her older daughter—and it turned out to be transformative.
“Once she started, I watched how the teachers interacted with her. They also did home visits to get to know our family better. I was shocked by how fast her speech, listening, and motor skills grew.”
A year after her son’s incident, Lissete enrolled him into Kidango as well. Lissete became more involved, attending workshops and volunteering. At the time, Kidango was sponsoring a bill in Sacramento to increase access to childcare for infants and toddlers. Knowing firsthand the transformative impact that quality childcare can create for families and their children, Lissete was encouraged to share her story in support of the bill. It passed unanimously out of committee and became law.
“That bill I testified for in Sacramento? It’s bringing high-quality services to 20,000 more families across the state!”
Legislative wins like these are what Scott Moore, CEO of Kidango, fights for each day. Thanks in part to Kidango’s advocacy efforts, all 400,000 four-year-olds in California have access to preschool at no cost.
Tipping Point works with Kidango to provide customized support and help them create even greater impact. For example, Tipping Point funded a compensation study that helped Kidango reshape their pay structure so all staff receive a living wage, setting a standard for childcare providers across the region.
With parent advocates like Lissete at the helm, Kidango is championing better policies and providing quality early care that give children and their families the strong foundations to build successful futures.
“There’s no way we would be here without the foundation—the learning and the love —we got at Kidango.”
Lissete and Scott spoke at Tipping Point’s annual Breakfast on December 6, 2024 to honor Kidango’s work in the community. The Tipping Point Breakfast is an opportunity for our grantee community to share their exemplary work that builds a better Bay Area for us all. We are honored to share their story and highlight Kidango’s success championing solutions for better early childcare across the state. Learn more about Tipping Point’s work in early childhood, and view additional stories highlighted at the Breakfast, including JobTrain and Booker T. Washington Community Service Center.
