Registration Now Open for Free Early Care and Education Provider Fair on July 25
Published: June 29, 2026 by Johnson County Community Foundation
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, July 25. 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. The event aims to strengthen connections among providers while equipping them with tools and information to better serve children and families in Johnson County.
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.
About Bright Beginnings Early Care and Education Coalition
In response to growing concerns about early care and education access, affordability, and quality, the 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 JCCF 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.
About Johnson County Community Foundation
The Johnson County Community Foundation (JCCF), founded in 1991, is a tax-exempt public charity created by and for the people in Johnson County, Indiana. JCCF strives to be the philanthropic leader in improving our community, today and in the future, by connecting people who care with causes that matter. JCCF’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for all citizens of Johnson County, now and for generations to come, by building community endowment, addressing needs through grantmaking, including scholarships; and providing leadership on key community issues. Learn more at www.jccf.org.
