Federal Child Care Experts Gather to Build on State-of-the-Art System

GSA #10611

July 22, 2009
Contacts:  Susan Sylvester, 202-501-1231
susan.sylvester@gsa.gov
Michael Proul, 202-501-1231
michael.proul@gsa.gov

Green is Primary Color at 20th Child Care Conference

WASHINGTON – More than 200 U.S. General Services Administration child care experts, as well as professionals and educators from other agencies and institutions, began meeting today to learn, share, and celebrate the practices that have helped establish a network of GSA-managed federal child care centers as a standard of excellence for nurturing and educating children for more than two decades.

Conference attendees are meeting in Orlando over a three-day period, attending training programs and seminars on topics such as developing literacy in young children, fighting childhood obesity, creating and using outdoor playgrounds, and building green and sustainable child care facilities.

“By providing high-quality, dependable day care in safe and secure environments, our children get the fresh start they need to be successful later in school,” said GSA Public Buildings Service Acting Commissioner Anthony E. Costa. “Federal employee recruitment, job satisfaction and retention, and employee wellness and work/life balance are enhanced, since parents enjoy quality, convenient and safe child care at or near their place of work.”

GSA provides space and childcare services for more than 8,400 children in 111 centers in GSA-managed properties across the country and in Puerto Rico. All centers operating in GSA-managed space are required to achieve accreditation from the Academy of Early Childhood Programs, a division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Imagineering Possibilities for 20 Years is the theme chosen to capture the centers’ creativity and dedication to children, families, and communities. An increasing focus on green facilities has also helped ensure that today’s children grow up conscious of and committed to improving the environment.

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GSA provides a centralized delivery system of products and services to the federal government, leveraging its enormous buying power to get the best value for taxpayers.

• Founded in 1949, GSA manages more than 11 percent of the government’s total procurement dollars and $24 billion in federal assets, including 8,600 government-owned or leased buildings and 213,000 vehicles.
• GSA helps preserve our past and define our future, as a steward of more than 480 historic properties, and as manager of USA.gov, the official portal to federal government information and services.
• GSA’s mission to provide superior workplaces, expert technology solutions, acquisition services, purchasing and E-Gov travel solutions and management policies, at best value, allows federal agencies to focus on their core missions.

Did You Know? GSA's Public Buildings Service is one of the largest and most diversified public real estate organizations in the world, with more than 8,600 assets and almost 354 million square feet of rentable space across all 50 states, six U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.