BrightStart Caledon Family Centre: Caledon Parent-Child Centre introduces new name

Rebranding initiative funded by Ontario Trillium Foundation grant

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Caledon Parent-Child Centre is now the BrightStart Caledon Family Centre. 

On June 19, the BrightStart Caledon Family Centre held its annual general meeting and announced its new name. 

The meeting was attended by Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones, who was there on behalf of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, which gave the BrightStart Caledon Family Centre a $58,100 grant for its rebranding initiative. 

BrightStart Caledon Family Centre's Executive Director, Teresa Colasanti, has been leading the non-profit for 21 years and said the Centre has been thinking about rebranding for quite some time.

“Our last strategic planning cycle, we did some stakeholder engagement,” she said. “We heard from the community that rebranding was something that was going to be necessary in order to better reflect the inclusive programs and services that we provide to the community.”

Colasanti said the rebranding initiative took a lot of hard work, planning, and engagement with the community.

Jones provided remarks at the meeting, and thanked all the volunteers in attendance for their service to the BrightStart Caledon Family Centre.

“I think we forget sometimes how much excellent work happens in our community because volunteers step up and are willing to serve, in most cases behind the scenes,” said Jones.

Jones said she was impressed by how many organizations were represented at the annual general meeting and that it's a testament to how working together makes communities stronger.

Colasanti said the new BrightStart name reflects BrighStart's unique identity and key role in Caledon.

“This new identity redefines us as the cornerstone agency for children and families in Caledon and it makes it easy for our growing community to know who we are and what we do,” she said. “This is truly an exciting day, one that I am grateful for and immensely proud to be a part of.”

The BrightStart Caledon Family Centre's mission is to provide a safe and engaging space for families to connect, learn, and grow. It's an inclusive community hub that promotes positive outcomes for children and their families. 

BrightStart Manager of Communications and Volunteers Shelly Ives said BrightStart takes a personal approach to its work and tailors it to respond to community needs.

She said its staff work to reduce the barriers to an exceptional childhood by supporting parents and caregivers and their capacity to parent. Ives added that BrightStart staff responds with

empathy to common caregiving concerns, and promotes health and positive social, emotional and physical development of children.