The Child Care Council of Nassau and the Nassau County Association for the Education of Young Children honored Port Washington resident Arlene Labenson at the organizations’ 17th annual Stand for Children Day.
Labenson received the Margo O’Connor Advocate of the Year Award in recognition of over 30 years of child care and early learning advocacy on the local, state and federal levels.
Her history of child care advocacy began in the late 1970’s when she first began to realize how much the economic independence of a mother relied upon having a high-quality, solid, dependable, affordable and accessible place for their children to spend time, learn and grow.
In 1980, she joined the Port Washington Children’s Center Board of Directors. There, she served as chair of their Fundraising, Advocacy and Public Relations Committees, as well as vice president, board president, and temporary executive director.
She began working at the Child Care Council of Nassau as the Resource and Referral Coordinator in 1994, became Director of Parent Services in 2001, and has served in her current position as Director of Advocacy and Parent Services since 2011.
Each year, she helps plan and carry out council’s annual Early Care and Education Day in Albany, where a bus load of advocates travel to the state capitol to visit members of the Nassau delegation and advocate for affordable, accessible, quality child care.
Currently, Labenson is a member of the Nassau County Department of Social Services Advisory Council’s Income Supports Subcommittee, the Parenting Resource Network, and the Advisory Board of the Port Washington Children’s Center.
She is about to celebrate her retirement as the council’s Director of Advocacy and Parent Services, and plans to continue her advocacy efforts for years to come. “There are so many exceptional, smart, passionate professionals advocating for children and child care,” said Labenson. “I feel honored to be singled out for the part I’ve played.”
The Child Care Council of Nassau is a private, not-for-profit organization that has served the community since 1972. Its vision is for all families living and/or working in Nassau County to have access to quality child care and early learning that fosters successful growth and development for every child. The council is located at 925 Hempstead Turnpike, Suite 400, Franklin Square, NY 11010, and can be reached at 516-358-9250.
