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“It’s all about how we help children reach their full potential, so that when they go to school, they’re right where they need to be.”
United Way Bright Beginnings center director

 

United Way Bright Beginnings

 

United Way Bright Beginnings, a partnership between United Way of Greater Houston and ExxonMobil, is an innovative early education program designed to help children from lower-income families achieve social, emotional, physical and cognitive milestones and enter school ready to succeed. Bright Beginnings’ hands-on curriculum and child-centered approach make a measurable difference in preparing children to start and succeed in school.

Read about the difference United Way Bright Beginnings has made in its first two decades.

 

Highlights of United Way Bright Beginnings’ impact over the last 20 years:

 

  1. More than 15,000 children engaged in high-quality early childhood education programs
  2. 51 center-based programs and 26 home-based programs
  3. 300+ providers have earned a Child Development Associate certification
  4. Alumni have consistently higher STAAR achievement test scores, higher attendance rates, and lower disciplinary rates than their peers

Now Accepting Bright Beginnings Center Applications

Applications to become a Bright Beginnings Center are now open for providers located in Harris, Montgomery, Waller, and Fort Bend Counties!
 
Join this innovative partnership between United Way of Greater Houston and ExxonMobil and make a lasting impact on the lives of young children. Through a hands-on, child-centered curriculum, Bright Beginnings helps children from lower-income families reach key developmental milestones and enter school ready to succeed. Applications are due Friday March 20, 2026. Use the button below to begin the application.

Download the Application

Application Process

1. Application deadline due Friday March 20, 2026
2. Send your application via email to Shauna Harris and Jennifer Smith

Submit Your Application
 

Assistance Calls

Technical Assistance calls are available for applicants looking for support through the application process.

During these sessions, we will:

• Support and answer questions
• Provide guidance on program expectations and timelines

Please come to the TA sessions prepared with having reviewed the application and your questions ready to be answered!

Next Meeting: Saturday March 14, 2026 | 9 – 11 a.m.
Meeting ID: 893 3131 9899

Sign Up for the Technical Session

United Way Bright Beginnings Centers & Partners

United Way Bright Beginnings Child Care Centers

  • AAMA George I. Sanchez
  • Bear Boulevard
  • Blossom Heights Child Development Center
  • The Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Destiny Village Transitional Living Center
  • The Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Emergency Shelter & Childcare
    Center
  • Chinese Community Center Child Development Center
  • Galena Park ISD
  • Galena Park PEP Center
  • Kids World Learning Center
  • Koala Cubs
  • Lion Lane – SBISD
  • NASA Kids Too
  • Peter E. Hyland Child Care Center
  • Scribbles Academy
  • Star of Hope
  • Tiger Trails Lab School – SBISD
  • Tiny Toes Academy
  • Wildcat Way Child Care, SBISD
  • Wisdom High School YMCA

United Way Bright Beginnings Family Home Care Centers

  • ABC Home Child Care Center
  • Angelitos Child Care
  • Betty’s Playhouse
  • Catita’s Mini Daycare
  • Fals Home Daycare
  • Gloria’s Childcare
  • Guadalupe Becerril Child Care
  • Kitty Daycare Home
  • La Casita de Muñecas
  • Little Rainbow Child Care
  • Marcia Amaya Child Care
  • Nelly’s Daycare
  • Rainbow Learning Center
  • Silvia Rojas Child Care

Other United Way Bright Beginnings Partners

  • Brazelton Touchpoints Center
  • Collaborative for Children

Learn more about the impact of Bright Beginnings

Leticia Herrera from ABC Home Child Care, a United Way Bright Beginnings Child Care Center, talks about how Bright Beginnings helps her best serve children and families.

In United Way Bright Beginnings, Laura’s social and emotional skills blossomed, and she built the foundation to be a star student.

United Way Bright Beginnings helped Joseph develop, grow, and prepare to start and succeed in kindergarten.

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