WINGS Summit spotlights six child care solutions in San Diego

TOOTRiS drew more than 250 leaders from 40 states and Washington, D.C., to San Diego for its 2026 WINGS Summit, where six child care models won funding and recognition. The event pushed the industry to pair long-term advocacy with immediate action as providers, employers and advocates confront persistent access and workforce gaps.

Why it matters: - Child care shortages affect parents’ ability to work and employers’ ability to hire and retain staff. - The WINGS Summit pushed the industry toward models that can be scaled, funded and put into practice now. - The event more than tripled attendance from TOOTRiS’ first Summit in 2025, signaling growing urgency around child care access.

What happened: - TOOTRiS hosted the 2026 WINGS Summit in San Diego on Sept. 30. - More than 250 leaders from over 40 states and Washington, D.C., attended. - The summit brought in problem-solvers from outside child care, including former NASA/JPL engineer Tom Rivellini and TOPGUN Adversary pilot Jim “Guido” DiMatteo. - TOOTRiS invited six organizations to present solutions already in use, with attendees voting on the winners. - The awards program distributed more than $10,000 in funding and support.

The details: - Starting Point won the Platinum WINGS Award for a Child Care Benefit Fund that matches employer contributions with funding from the Ohio Department of Children and Youth. - The fund helps families afford care and reduces friction for employers participating in the program. - The Wells Community won Gold for a model that combines coworking, onsite child care, parent education and community. - The Wells Community model is now being licensed in other markets. - Early Learning Coalition of Duval won Silver for Help Me Grow Duval, Clay and Nassau, which connects families to developmental screenings, Play & Learn Groups, provider support and coordinated referrals. - Hello Nanny, in partnership with the Workforce Infrastructure Institute, won Bronze for the Career Pathway Launch, which combines accredited education, W-2 employment and advocacy for in-home caregivers. - Child Care Aware of Kansas received an Honorable Mention for the GO-Team, which helps child care programs recover from emergencies, overcome local barriers, expand and avoid closure. - Valley National Group received an Honorable Mention for Jump the Curve, which uses employer and private investment to develop near-site child care facilities, reduce provider debt and improve workforce compensation. - Rivellini described tighter budgets and failed missions as forces that pushed NASA teams to challenge old assumptions. - DiMatteo told attendees to act before every condition is perfect and then evaluate results without ego. - TOOTRiS CEO Alessandra Lezama said the field needs both long-term advocacy and immediate action. - TOOTRiS also hosted a candid conversation with Susan Gale Perry, CEO of Child Care Aware of America, and Michelle Kang, CEO of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. - Perry said partners can also be competitors and still need to stay transparent and move forward. - Kang said early childhood educators should remain at the center of any progress. - San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Chris Cate said employers cannot operate without child care and regions cannot compete without enough providers. - TOOTRiS described itself as the nation’s largest child care platform and said it works with employers, providers, government agencies and CCR&R organizations.

Between the lines: - The speaker lineup signaled that child care leaders are looking beyond their own sector for playbooks on operating under pressure. - The winning solutions shared a common theme: they try to lower costs, improve coordination or strengthen the child care workforce rather than rely on policy change alone. - The candid discussion among competing organizations suggested the field sees collaboration as necessary even when groups do not always agree.

What's next: - TOOTRiS said the six finalists received stage time to sharpen and spread their ideas. - The funded winners now have added support to expand their models. - The summit’s broader message points to continued pressure on employers, providers and advocates to move faster on child care access and sustainability.

The bottom line: - WINGS 2026 framed child care as an urgent economic issue and rewarded practical models that can be used now, not someday.