Nurturing environments, particularly from prenatal to 6 years of age, are essential for healthy brain development. When children grow up in overly rigid or chaotic environments or experience a significant loss early on (such as that of a parent), their capacity to make positive contributions to society later in life may be severely diminished. These environments and experiences are sometimes called "toxic stress," "trauma" or "adverse childhood experiences." Regardless of the term used, they all refer to the same thing: environments or events that have a lasting and harmful impact on the child's development.

Children will have the best chance for healthy development if we:

• Provide enriched, nurturing environments for children; interventions to life long aftercare; and
• Help children and families cope with harmful but unavoidable life events.

Investing in childhood development is like an insurance policy that we only get one chance to buy. However, it is one of the wisest investments our society can make, if made appropriately.

The Foundation's goal is to be a catalyst for the design and implementation of policies and programs that can make a difference in the lives of all children and families.