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About Gift Connect
Every second, a child’s brain forms over one million new neural connections. We’re on a mission to fix the underinvestment in developmental resources for children from birth to age three, ensuring every child gets the best start in life.
![Mother playing with blocks with her toddler](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/6_mother-playing-with-blocks-with-her-toddler-edited.png)
What We Do
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/orange-heart-icon-1.png)
Programs
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/blue-heart-icon-1.png)
Advocacy Network
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/yellow-heart-icon-1.png)
Resources
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/toddler-walking-orange-wave.png)
Donate to support early childhood development
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Gift-Connect-Brand-Statement.gif)
Our Philosophy
Loving connections between children and their caregivers are the foundation for healthy brain development
Practice the 6 Loving Habits:
Speak. Sing. Read. Play. Count. Serve & Return.
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Speak-to-300x300.png)
Speak.
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Sing-to-300x300.png)
Sing.
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Read-to-300x300.png)
Read.
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Play-with-me-300x300.png)
Play.
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Count-with-300x300.png)
Count.
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Serve-and-Return-300x300.png)
Serve & Return.
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/GC-thin-grey-wave-1640-x-500-px-e1699336996115-1024x117.png)
Podcast
Connect Conversations
Want to learn why birth to three is so important and how to build your child’s brain capacity? From experts in science, policy, and programming, CONNECT Conversations is the podcast for all things birth to three.
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/connect-conversations-podcast.jpeg)
![](https://gift-connect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Sam-Beard-scaled.webp)
Understanding and acting on the proven science of Birth to 3 will be transformational for America and around the world. Without investing in and focusing on development during the critical years of birth to 3: We can’t transform education. We can’t reverse poverty. We can’t build the desired 21st century workforce. We can’t deliver limitless potential to every baby.
Sam Beard, Founder & President
@giftconnectorg
Latest News
Investing in Our Future: Early Childhood Development Funding in the U.S. and Globally
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