Early Care and Education Provider Fair
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Location: JCPL Clark Pleasant branch, 350 Clearwater Blvd, Whiteland, Indiana
Contact: Stephanie Marten | 317-738-2213 | stephaniew@jccf.org
Bright Beginnings, an initiative of the Johnson County Community Foundation (JCCF), in partnership with the Johnson County Public Library, will host another Early Care and Education Provider Fair on Saturday, October 24. The fair will be from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the JCPL Clark Pleasant branch, located at 350 Clearwater Blvd in Whiteland, Indiana.
The Provider Fair is designed to support local early care and education professionals by offering valuable professional development opportunities, resource sharing, networking, door prizes, giveaways, and more.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to receive FREE Tdap and influenza vaccines from the Johnson County Health Department, as well as FREE CPR certifications. These offerings provide early care and education professionals with convenient access to important health and safety resources while they connect with others in the field and participate in professional development.
About Bright Beginnings Early Care and Education Coalition
In response to growing concerns about early care and education access, affordability, and quality, Johnson County Community Foundation (JCCF) has launched the Bright Beginnings Early Care and Education Coalition. This initiative, driven by a 2024 countywide needs assessment and in collaboration with Transform Consulting Group, seeks to address a critical shortage of early care and education.
With approximately 12,000 children under age five in the county and 68% of their parents in the workforce according to Brighter Futures Indiana Data Center, the need for reliable childcare is urgent. The Foundation views early childhood education as both a quality of life and economic development issue, helping parents remain employed and supporting children's early learning.
Although a Lilly Endowment grant application did not secure funding, it highlighted urgent gaps and guided the formation of the Coalition, which began meeting in 2025. Throughout the year, the group will establish goals to address local needs and engage a variety of perspectives to shape long-term solutions.
For more information about the Provider Fair, contact Stephanie Marten, VP of Development at the JCCF, at stephaniew@jccf.org or Sarah Taylor, Assistant Director of Johnson County Public Library, at staylor@jcplin.org.
