By Kristin Bernhard, GEEARS CEO

GEEARS’ beloved Annual Luncheon happens a bit earlier than usual this year, on September 17^th. It probably won’t feel like fall yet, and we’ll be about six weeks shy of the November election. And yet, I know we’ll all be feeling the excitement, and urgency, of the change on the horizon. 

For those of us at GEEARS, along with our partners working in Georgia’s early childhood ecosystem, that urgency is a constant. As any parent knows, the first five years whiz by in the blink of an eye. They’re also monumentally important. 

Early childhood is, after all, the only time in our lives when more than one million new neural connections form within the brain every second. Every interaction, relationship, and experience helps shape a child’s development and builds the foundation for their future. As babies and toddlers explore the world around them, they depend on trusted adults and strong community supports to nurture their curiosity, strengthen their sense of security, and help them reach their fullest potential.

Strong public systems, family-centered policies, and sustained investments in the first five years of life provide the infrastructure that enables children, families, and communities across Georgia to flourish. GEEARS was founded 16 years ago to help business, civic, and government leaders build this infrastructure. Today, we advocate for policies and programs that allow every Georgia family to. . . 

• Access the quality, reliable child care they need to participate in the workforce.
• Afford a stable home for their little ones, with food on the dinner table every night and safe, literacy-rich spaces in which to learn and play every day.
• Take their children to the pediatrician, be it for regular checkups or ear infections. 

We can’t do this work without your support. That’s why we invite you to our 2026 Annual Luncheon. 

When you attend or sponsor this event, you’re helping Georgia’s working parents and caregivers share their stories with policymakers. 

You’re investing in advocacy to ensure that our state’s youngest children have the launchpad of nurturing, literacy-rich early learning. 

You’re advancing policies that better value early educators’ commitment, skills, and reliability. 

You’re helping GEEARS position early childhood as a defining priority for Georgia’s future. 

We can’t wait to see you there, whether you’re a longstanding partner who remembers when our organization was just a handful of visionaries in a tiny office, or a new supporter just now recognizing the critical urgency that comes with being a little kid in 2026. 

And let’s not forget, our Annual Luncheon is also really fun! It’s an opportunity to honor early childhood heroes and laugh and learn with brilliant thought leaders like this year’s Olympic gold-medal-winning keynote speaker, Elana Meyers Taylor.

We’re grateful for your investment in GEEARS—and our state’s future. 

Click here today to reserve your seat at GEEARS’ table! 

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