Our mission is to engage our community in supporting and advocating for early childhood learning and care so that every child has equitable access to quality early learning opportunities

Building a stronger early childhood system for the Wood River Valley

The Wood River Early Learning Collaborative (or ELC, pronounced “Elk”) brings together the people and organizations who shape the lives of young children.

We bring in families, childcare providers, employers, schools, healthcare organizations, local government, and community partners to build solutions that work for everyone.

Childcare is essential infrastructure

A thriving community depends on families being able to find care, childcare providers being able to build sustainable careers, children having opportunities to learn and grow, and employers having access to a stable workforce.

But no single organization can build that system alone.

That's why we bring people together. Our work is to connect the dots.

Every voice shapes what's next.

We listen.
We learn directly from families, providers, employers, and community partners.

We connect.
We bring people and resources together around shared challenges.

We act.
We turn community insight into programs, partnerships, funding opportunities, and advocacy.

We measure.
We use data and community feedback to understand what's working and where investment is needed

ELC works alongside:

  • Families

  • Childcare providers

  • Employers

  • Schools and educators

  • Healthcare organizations

  • Local government

  • Philanthropic organizations

  • Community nonprofits

  • Economic development organizations

Our 12-member Advisory Committee brings together leaders from across these sectors to help guide WRELC's strategy and priorities.

Meet our Team

ELC is led by a dedicated staff member who serves as the connector, convener, and project leader for the Collaborative—working alongside our Advisory Committee and community partners to move shared priorities forward.

Melanie Greenwood

joined the Wood River Early Learning Collaborative after working at The Hunger Coalition, bringing her experience in nonprofit work, community collaboration, and problem-solving to ELC.

Her move to ELC came as she become a new parent— navigating the challenge of finding childcare for her daughter. Experiencing that challenge firsthand made this work feel especially meaningful. Melanie enjoys learning, problem-solving, and bringing people together around shared challenges. She's especially motivated by the chance to support not only her own daughter, but her entire cohort of young learners as they grow up in the Wood River Valley. You may spot her and her family biking on the trails, splashing in the river, or mooing at cows.

Our Advisory Committee Includes:

  • Jim Foudy // Blaine County School District, Superintendent

  • Kristin Gearhart // Bellevue Public Library, Director

  • Mel Jackson // SV Economic Development, Executive Director

  • Jane Lopez // The Hunger Coalition, Community Organizing Supervisor

  • Janet Salvoni // Community School, Elementary School Head, and Idaho AEYC Board Member

  • Sarah Seppa // St. Luke’s, Director of Community Engagement/Manager – Center for Community Health

  • Brittany Skelton // City of Sun Valley, Community Development Director

  • Desna Smith // Blaine County School District, Preschool Teacher

  • Tricia Swartling // The Advocates, CEO

  • Deborah Van Law // Blaine County Education Foundation, Executive Director

  • Ana Villanueva // The Advocates, Youth Coordinator

How ELC began

ELC grew from a simple idea

2022
Wood River Women's Foundation awards its first Focus Grant to IDAEYC to address opportunity gaps in early childhood.

2022
WRELC launches and begins bringing local early childhood partners together.

2023
Blaine County's first comprehensive childcare needs assessment is completed.

2023–2026
WRELC expands provider support, family programming, community partnerships, and efforts to increase childcare capacity.

Today
WRELC is building the next phase of Blaine County's early childhood strategy.

ELC currently is a program of the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children (IDAEYC). We also operate under fiscal sponsorship by The Advocates, which allows us to receive charitable funding and focus our resources on advancing early childhood initiatives in Blaine County. As ELC funding and partnerships continue to grow, we are evaluating the organizational structure that will best support our long-term work.

This program is made possible by federal grant #90TP)154-01-00, the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children, and Idaho State University. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.