Dear reader:

When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed a new kindergarten entry date bill into law, its future impact on thousands of future preschoolers became evident, as many will no longer be eligible to move up to traditional kindergarten.

TOWN HALL Los Angeles, one of the Top 10 Leadership Forums in the nation, and the California Community Foundation recently held a panel discussion that focused on the importance of early education and its positive impact on children's lives.

LAUP was well represented at the "5th Annual Taste of Soul Family Festival," created to highlight the positive aspects of African-American life. The event was held Oct. 16 and featured food and music celebrating the African-American community.

More than 150 parents on Oct. 16 attended LAUP's "Parent Ambassador Kick-Off Event" at the Los Angeles Zoo, where they heard from speakers about how they can become important advocates for children's early education needs.

Assembly Speaker John Pérez, D-Los Angeles, has announced that the state legislature is working to preserve the CalWORKs Stage 3 Child Care program that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger cut as part of almost $1 billion in line-item vetoes.

Children without early childhood education have an increased risk of becoming criminals, dropping out of school or getting heart disease, according to Rob Grunewald, an Associate Economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.

It's the kids. We do it for the kids. And that is where your donation goes: to programs, classrooms and quality education that directly benefits the kids of Los Angeles County. Your investment in the children of our community pays a lifetime of positive returns. Your donation, no matter what size, helps another child move that much closer to obtaining a high-quality preschool education, which prepares them for a successful future thanks to the proven benefits of preschool education. On behalf of all the children of LAUP, we thank you for your donation and welcome you to the LAUP family.