The Week of the Young Child™ is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The purpose of the Week of the Young Child™ is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. The 2012 Week of the Young Child™ is April 22–28 and the theme is Early Years Are Learning Years®.

The Sisters of the Holy Family have had  along history of serving young children and their families. San Francisco was an amazing conglomeration of wealth and poverty. There were many millionaires and there were also hundreds of struggling families. The Sisters of the Holy Family were founded for families, and one of the needs perceived by the new organization was day care for the children of working parents. In 1878 the Sisters opened their first children’s “day home,” to provide a place where the needs of the child could be attended to while peace of mind and material assistance could be offered to the struggling parents.

Read more here