Lisa Babb, 4C for Children strategic director of program operations in the Miami Valley, received of one of five Dayton Mayor’s Awards given at the Feb. 5 City Commission meeting. The awards are given annually to honor people who, according to Mayor Nan Whaley, “work every day to make our city great.”
Babb received the Education Champion Award which recognizes a person in the Dayton, Ohio, community who is working to provide a brighter future for children.
“I’m honored to receive this award,” Babb says. “My commitment to supporting our families, children and child care providers to ensure that all children receive the quality early education they deserve is unwavering.
“I work along an amazing, dedicated 4C for Children team and together our work has made and continues to make a real difference in the lives of the families and children in the Miami Valley. That’s why I look forward to coming to work every day.”
Vanessa Freytag, president and CEO of 4C for Children, nominated Babb for all the ways she and her Miami Valley team have made an impact in the early education arena in the region. Freytag highlighted Babb’s leadership of the team effort to increase the number of child care programs that are rated in the state’s quality rating system.
This effort has led to a 100% increase in the number of rated programs in the region over the past year, with 77% of programs reaching at least the first star of the state’s five-star system. This means that 77% of programs in the region are now rated and more than 10,694 children whose parents receive state assistance to pay for child care are now in quality child care environments.
“Lisa has done a tremendous job in leading this process and bringing together her team and partners in the community to create the momentum that has yielded these amazing statistics,” Freytag says. “She embodies the very best of what a leader needs to be and led her team to innovate with the community child care providers and find new ways to remove the many barriers child care programs face.”
In addition, following the May 2019 tornadoes that devastated areas of Dayton, Babb led her team in a massive effort to assist child care programs impacted by the tornadoes. The Miami Valley team contacted every one of the several hundred child care providers in the path of the storm, identified what they needed to reopen what the children they care for might need.
As a result, the team gathered and delivered 24,000 diapers, 11,000 pull-ups, 62,000 containers of wipes, 400 sets of personal hygiene items, clothing and shoes for more than 100 children and school supplies for 48 programs.
“This relief work was a constant part of Lisa’s efforts for more than two months after the storms,” Freytag said. “She was tireless in answering calls for help.”
Pictured above: 4C for Children representatives attended the Feb. 5 meeting honoring award recipients. From left: President/CEO Vanessa Freytag; VP, Program Operations Kim Ginn; Strategic Director, Program Operations Lisa Babb; VP, Agency Advancement Emily Fay.