Candelen

A cozy reading corner. New learning materials. A caregiver who pours her heart into the children she serves. 💛

Recently, our team visited Olga, one of our 𝗞𝗶𝘁𝗵 & 𝗞𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 participants, and got to see the beautiful literacy space she created inside her home child care program using materials provided through the program.

From books and writing tools to hands-on learning materials, every detail was thoughtfully arranged to help young children build early language, reading, and writing skills through everyday play and exploration.

Seeing Olga’s excitement, and hearing her heartfelt words of gratitude, was a powerful reminder that when we invest in caregivers, we help create stronger learning environments for children from the very beginning.

Thank you, Olga, for the love and care you bring to your community each day.

At Candelen, connection is at the heart of every partnership, mentorship, learning group, and every community we serve. Through shared experiences, trusted relationships, and meaningful support, we create spaces where caregivers feel encouraged, children feel loved, and families feel they belong.💜

🌟 Meet the incredible team bringing Candelen’s Kith & Kin Program to communities across the Navajo Nation! 🌟

𝗖𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗧𝘀𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗲, Specialist, and 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗮 𝗖𝗹𝘆, Early Care Educator, are passionate advocates for children, caregivers, and families throughout the Navajo Nation. Together, they support family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) caregivers by delivering early childhood education resources and services through both community-based and home-based models rooted in culture, connection, and care. 💛

Through strong partnerships with schools, chapter houses, and local organizations, Calvina and Paula are helping expand access to critical supports for caregivers and young children across vast rural communities.

Their dedication, teamwork, and commitment to traveling long distances to reach families continue to strengthen relationships, grow awareness of Candelen’s Kith & Kin Program, and create meaningful impact throughout the Navajo Nation.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗮, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆!

We had a great time presenting at the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼, an annual relationship-building event hosted by Prevent Child Abuse Arizona in partnership with the 𝗔𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆.

Held this year at the Renaissance Glendale Conference Center, the Expo brought together 84 different organizations committed to supporting children and families across Arizona.

It was a wonderful opportunity to connect, collaborate, and share resources with others doing this important work.

A special thank you to our 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻 team members Jorge Sanchez, Sandy Mendoza, Meka Harbert, and Jacqueline Diaz for representing us at this year’s event!

We’re excited to share that Candelen Kith & Kin Director, 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗮 𝗧𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗮, will be presenting alongside 𝗥𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗰𝗮 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻 at the 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗔𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗖𝗔𝗣) 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 this July, hosted by 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗔𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗼𝗻𝗮. 💛

Their workshop, “𝙁𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚: 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙋𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩,” highlights the critical role family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) caregivers play in supporting young children and families across Arizona. The session will explore evaluation findings from Candelen’s FFN caregiver program and how intentional support for informal caregivers can strengthen protective factors, improve caregiving practices, and build stronger systems of support for families.

We’re proud to not only sponsor this year’s conference, but also contribute to conversations that center prevention, connection, and community-based support for children and families across Arizona.

𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆! 💛💐

Today we celebrate you, the mothers, grandmothers, caregivers, and mother figures who give so much of yourselves every single day. Your love, strength, patience, and care shape families, childhoods, and entire communities in ways that truly matter.

At Candelen, we see the impact you make every day. The comfort you provide, the lessons you teach, the encouragement you give, and the countless ways you show up do not go unnoticed.

We hope today brings you moments of rest, joy, love, and appreciation. You deserve it. 🌷

𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 💛

Behind every strong mother is a story we don’t always see. Moments of exhaustion, anxiety, joy, and everything in between. With 1 in 8 mothers experiencing postpartum depression, awareness helps break stigma and connect moms to the support they deserve.

Maternal mental health matters, not just for moms, but for families and entire communities. When we bring light to it, we reduce stigma, encourage connection, and help make support more accessible.

At Candelen, our 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 & 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗺 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 provides care, connection, and trusted guidance so mothers don’t have to navigate this journey alone. Community matters. And when moms are supported, families, and entire communities, thrive.

𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 🎉

Two of our staff members have been elected to the board of the Arizona Association for the Education of Young Children, a leading voice for early childhood in Arizona.

𝗝𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘇 was elected in December 2025, and Bianey Garcia was recently elected in March 2026. This is an exciting recognition of their leadership, expertise, and dedication to families.

Through their roles, they will help guide conversations and decisions at a statewide level. This is exactly the kind of impact we strive for, not just within our programs, but across the entire early childhood system.

We are so proud of them and their work ahead. 💛