The Children’s Movement of Florida is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan movement of Floridians insisting on a strong start for all Florida children. We advocate for high-quality early learning opportunities, access to children’s health care, and parent support programs in Florida.
To see a list of our founders, click here.
1996
Then-Florida-Gov. Lawton Chiles asked 55 citizens from around the state to make recommendations for the future of public education in the next millennium. Among them was David Lawrence Jr., then-publisher of The Miami Herald.
1999
David Lawrence Jr. chaired the task force on school readiness that led to an important law consolidating early childhood education and child-care programs into one integrated program.
1999
Two generous and public-spirited Miami couples, Dr. Jane and Gerald Katcher and Jan and Daniel Lewis, together with David Lawrence Jr., formed The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, which became a national model for high-quality early childhood development, care and education. The foundation’s work promoted a dramatic increase in high-quality childcare and early learning centers, and helped tens of thousands of children get health insurance coverage.
2001
The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation launched a successful public awareness campaign, Teach More/Love More, which became the model for today's statewide Help Me Grow parenting resource program
2002
Thanks to the efforts of the Foundation, Miami-area voters agreed by a 2-1 margin to increase their property taxes to create a dedicated funding source, The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade, which was charged with giving children the essential foundations to achieve their full potential.
2002
The Foundation again succeeded in moving Florida voters to pass a constitutional amendment in November -- championed by Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas, Lawrence and others -- to make high-quality pre-kindergarten available and free for all four-year-olds in the state.
2005
In December 2004, FL HB 0001A passed and was signed into law in 2005, making Florida one of only three states to offer universal VPK.
2008
The Children's Trust was required by law to be reauthorized by Miami-Dade voters, who this time approved it by an overwhelming 85.4 percent.
2010
The Pilot (The Palm Beach Project): The Foundation organized 30 neighborhood meetings in Palm Beach County in March as a one-month test market for a new organization.
2010
That summer, The Children's Movement of Florida begins, with Lawrence serving as board chair. The Movement is focused on making Florida the best state in the nation for children.
2010
Since The Movement's start, two other couples--Mike and Constance Fernandez of Miami and Barney and Carol Jenkins Barnett of Lakeland--have been key benefactors along with the Katchers.
2010
In October, The Movement organized 17 regional committees throughout Florida. to assist in organizing and launching 17 "Milk Party" rallies from Pensacola to Key West with a total attendance of 15,000.
2011
ReadingPals, a statewide initiative, was launched with our partner, United Way. This early literacy program engages close to 1,000 trained volunteers each year in a weekly mentorship of more than 1,500 young children from pre-kindergarten to third grade.
2011
The Listening Tour: That summer, The Movement team returned to the same 17 cities in which it held Milk Party rallies the previous September to meet with the regional committees – more than 400 business, civic and political leaders dedicated to Florida's children – to discuss The Movement's next steps.
2012
2012 media tour: Led by Lawrence and political strategist Sergio Bendixen, we traveled to 10 major media markets in September -- meeting with local organizations, editorial boards and media people -- to announce our 2012 legislative agenda and host "Books and Cookies" reading events at local early learning centers.
2012-2014
With the passage of HB 5001, we worked to gain state support to create Help Me Grow Florida, a comprehensive parent resource system available by calling 211. It is now available in 38 of Florida's 67 counties.
2014
We partnered with the Florida Chamber of Commerce to create The Business Alliance for Early Learning. This business-led coalition pushes for innovative early education systems at the state level.
2014
TurboVote: Launched a highly-publicized, three-week voter registration campaign using the online platform TurboVote. Coordinated with dozens of partners across the state to register more than 800 new voters in Florida, along with developing a strategy for coordinating with childcare centers to conduct voter registration during drop off and pick up.
2016
Assembled a 13-member board of directors that includes many of the state’s most influential decision makers.
2016
Prior to 2016, when HB 5101 passed, legally residing immigrant children had to wait five years to receive health insurance. With our advocacy, most particularly that of benefactor Mike Fernandez, we were able to ensure tens of thousands of children now receive the pediatric care they need.
2016
Worked with a nationally-recognized firm to develop a statewide advocacy strategy that expanded The Movement’s grassroots base to tens of thousands of supporters.
2017
The legislature creates the Committee on Early Grade Success to create a plan for early learning reforms that will guide legislation and funding decisions in the years to come.
2018
HB 1091 passed thanks to the unified voices of early childhood advocates across Florida. This bill establishes quality measures for early learning centers that contract with the state for subsidized child care, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely and we can demonstrate real, positive outcomes for children enrolled in early learning.
2019
#100Mayors for Early Childhood: We built a list of more than 100 mayors from around the state who support early childhood, and had them sign on to a letter to the Governor to make children’s issues a priority.
2020
Built to Thrive Summit: The Movement launched its first annual virtual summit, engaging more than 700 live participants with an interactive, fast-paced agenda. We heard from national experts and local change makers, bridging the worlds of politics, business, and early childhood. Our keynote speaker was Jack P. Shonkoff, M.D.
2020
Launched our “Bosses For Babies” initiative that brings together business champions for early childhood, highlighting the many ways companies can make an impact and inspiring others to take action. Family-focused practices are proven to boost a company’s workforce and contribute to community prosperity.
2021
Continuing to build on the recommendations of the Early Grade Success Committee, the Legislature passes HB 419, a comprehensive VPK reform bill which made historic improvements to standards and for early learning programs.
2022
The legislature appropriates more than $200 million of new funding for early learning, and Governor DeSantis says "Early learning and early literacy really is the key."
Founders
In 2010, at the founding of The Movement, a bipartisan coalition of 28 of the state’s most prominent citizens came together to work on behalf of Florida’s children.
-
Carol Jenkins Barnett
Chair and President, Publix Super Markets Charities
Lakeland
-
Sam Bell III
Former House Majority Leader; now with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney law firm
Tallahassee
-
Allan Bense
Former House Speaker; now president of GAC Contractors
Panama City
-
Cecilia Bryant
Attorney and former vice chair of the State University System Board of Regents
Jacksonville
-
Bob Butterworth
Former attorney general and Department of Children and Families secretary; now Of Counsel at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney law firm.
Fort Lauderdale
-
Marta Casas-Celaya
Director of government and community affairs for Comcast
West Palm Beach
-
Betty Castor
Former legislator, education commissioner, University of South Florida president and chair of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board
Tampa
-
Scott Clemons
Former legislator and mayor; now president of The Clemons Company
Panama City
-
David Dennis
President and CEO of Eckerd Youth Alternatives
Clearwater
-
Manny Diaz
Former mayor and president of U.S. Conference of Mayors; now senior partner in Lydecker Diaz law firm
Miami
-
Rob Gidel
Former chair of the Florida Polytechnic University board; now managing partner of Liberty Capital Advisors
Orlando
-
Pegeen Hanrahan
Former mayor; environmental engineer and principal in Community and Conservation Solutions
Gainesville
-
Kathryn Hensley
Former K-12 and college educator; now St. Lucie County School Board member
Fort Pierce
-
Ed Jennings
Former legislator; now U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development administrator
Gainesville
-
Toni Jennings
Former lieutenant governor and legislator; now chair of Jack Jennings & Sons construction
Orlando
-
Greg Langowski
Former executive director of the Palm Beach Republican Party; now regional director for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio
Palm Beach
-
David Lawrence Jr
Retired Miami Herald publisher; now chair of The Children’s Movement of Florida
Coral Gables
-
Roberto Martinez
Former U.S. attorney and State Board of Education member; now partner in Colson Hicks Eidson law firm
Coral Gables
-
Gepsie Metellus
Executive director of the Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center
Miami
-
Jon Mills
Former House Speaker; now dean emeritus and professor at University of Florida’s College of Law and Of Counsel at Boies Schiller & Flexner law firm
Gainesville
-
Sandy Murman
Former legislator; now Hillsborough County commissioner
Tampa
-
John “Q” Quiñones
Former legislator and Osceola County commissioner; now an attorney and certified mediator
Kissimmee
-
Nan Rich
Former legislator and board member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Weston
-
Mario Rubio
State policy director for the city of Jacksonville
Jacksonville
-
Burt Saunders
Former legislator; now an attorney with GrayRobinson law firm
Naples
-
H.T. Smith
Former National Bar Association president; now an attorney, law school professor and community leader
Miami
-
Bill Sublette
Former legislator; now an attorney and head of his own law firm
Orlando
-
Margaret Tidmore
Mentor coordinator and parent liaison at New Horizons Learning Center
Panama City