Rupani Foundation USA and Harris County DEEO’s ELQN Hosted Family Day Event to Support Caregivers in Houston Child Care Deserts

HOUSTON, March 28, 2026 – To address Houston’s pervasive Child Care Deserts, where the demand for quality care is three times greater than available seats, Harris County’s Department of Economic Equity & Opportunity’s Early Learning Quality Network (ELQN) partnered with Rupani Foundation USA to provide skills training for child care providers and family-based caregivers across Harris County.

Since this partnership began in May 2025, Rupani Foundation USA and Harris County DEEO’s ELQN have successfully provided age-appropriate training and professional development certifications to 430 child care providers (representing 109 child care centers) and 755 friend-family-neighbor caregivers. Spanning 28 of Houston’s identified Child Care Deserts, this represents 74% of the initiative’s goal, with three months remaining to offer incentivized training to at least 395 more recipients.

Rupani Foundation USA hosted a Family Day Event on Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM CT at 705 Cavalcade Street in Houston, Texas, as part of these ongoing efforts to expand caregiver training and translate learning into community impact. The celebration featured reading, music, dance, and developmental games led by trained facilitators to promote fatherhood, family-centered child development, and engage underrepresented groups. Families and early learning stakeholders residing or working within the following zip codes were encouraged to attend: 77009, 77091, 77022, 77076, 77060, 77032, 77039, and 77037.

The latest data on Texas Child Care Deserts will be available in April 2026, but previous analysis from CHILDREN AT RISK indicates that Harris County is home to 24.1% of all child care seats available across Texas. While 16 of Houston’s zip codes formally qualify as an overall Child Care Desert, 87 Harris County zip codes are considered Subsidy Child Care Deserts, and another 97 zip codes qualify as TRS quality Child Care Deserts. Community-driven programming that meets families and child care providers is particularly impactful in regions like the Gulf Coast LWDB, where a significant percentage of child care seats are located and yet families still struggle to access affordable, quality early learning environments for their children.

“Harris County families face a dual crisis: finding child care and affording it,” said Nasruddin Rupani, Chairman of Rupani Foundation USA. “Together with CHILDREN AT RISK and Harris County DEEO’s ELQN, we are bringing early learning training directly into Houston’s Child Care Deserts and equipping the caregivers families already trust. This work shows that when communities are given the right tools, they are ready to transform early learning from the ground up.”

The Family Day Event offered members of the press an opportunity to gather footage, conduct interviews with caregivers and families, and observe the impact of this community-driven initiative firsthand.

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About Rupani Foundation USA

Established in 2006, Rupani Foundation USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to holistic early childhood development. Through a three-generation model, we support children, equip parents and caregivers, and strengthen the community systems around them. Our approach is reinforced by maternal mental health support and family economic empowerment, backed by wrap-around services that reduce practical barriers to participation. Rupani Foundation USA envisions lasting, intergenerational change through partnerships that advance human development.. For more information, visit www.rupanifoundationusa.org, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X

About Harris County DEEO’s Early Learning Quality Network (ELQN)

Harris County DEEO’s Early Learning Quality Network (ELQN) is a Harris County initiative dedicated to raising quality in early childhood education, fostering educator excellence, and promoting equitable access to quality early care and education for all young children. ELQN collaborates closely with the community to ensure every child has access to a strong educational foundation. For more information, visit https://childrenatrisk.org/elqn/

About the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity

Established by the Harris County Commissioners Court in 2021, the Department of Economic Equity & Opportunity’s (DEEO) mission is to connect, value, and empower people, businesses, and communities. The Early Childhood Initiatives division of the department works towards ensuring that every child has access to a high-quality early learning experience, setting them up for success now and beyond.  For more information, please visit https://deeo.harriscountytx.gov/Early-Childhood-Initiatives.

About CHILDREN AT RISK

CHILDREN AT RISK is a research and advocacy nonprofit leading the way in improving the quality of life for Texas’ children. CHILDREN AT RISK considers the whole child by tracking issues in children’s health, safety, education, and economic security to improve equity and justice for all Texas families. Committed to action beyond the data, CHILDREN AT RISK drives evidence-based change by speaking out on behalf of children. For more information, visit childrenatrisk.org, Facebook, and X.