Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelley Summer.
Hi Shelley, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Palmetto Shared Services Alliance launched in 2017 from a community needs assessment by Greenville First Steps and Institute for Child Success that identified a significant need for childcare provider quality improvement. The mission of PSSA is to improve the quality of South Carolina Early Care and Education professionals and environments through a system of online and onsite supports designed to save time and money. PSSA is the leading local source for professional development by offering monthly webinars for the SC Department of Social Services mandated yearly 15 hours. Like our successful counterparts in 32 states, we aim to strengthen the early care and education (ECE) community – childcare centers, Head Start, Pre-K Programs, and out-of-school time providers. ECEs contribute substantially to the economic health of SC families and the SC economy. By strengthening ECE business- and care-side quality, we support working families and the economy. PSSA member ECE providers increase quality care for thousands of South Carolina children daily. PSSA celebrates our 5th anniversary in April of this year. We are proud to have partnered with other childcare agencies across the state to bring our resources to providers: SC Child Care Resource and Referral, SC Childcare, the SC Program for Infant and Toddler Care, and many First Steps County partnerships.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Making our organization sustainable has hands down been our biggest challenge. We are fortunate to have been funded and supported by Greenville County First Steps since the very beginning. We maintained a very small budget while convincing other agencies how much value we bring to the table. Once we began a partnership with SC Child Care Resource and Referral in 2019, we began to breathe a little easier. Since then, we have been able to forge new partnerships and expand our offerings.
Our concept of shared services in childcare was also a hard idea for already existing organizations to really get behind. There was a misconception by many that we were providing duplicate services and we had to work extra hard to get them to not only understand what we wanted to do but to also view us as potential partners. Once we got the ECE community to understand we wanted to work WITH them and not against, the tables started to turn. Today we sit at the table with every other childcare agency.
Honestly starting a non-profit is not the easiest thing either my Executive Director, Leslie Latimer, or I have ever done. Once we left the umbrella of Greenville First Steps, we had to figure out quickly what we were doing. Reflecting back on that time and then looking at where we are now, we are both so incredibly proud of what we have been able to do!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am the Operations Director for Palmetto Shared Services Alliance. I have almost 20 years of experience either working in childcare programs or in agencies that support them. I call it my accidental career as I majored in Art History at Wofford College thinking I would become a college professor. Once I started graduate studies, I quickly realized this was not the path I wanted to take and childcare fell into my lap. Because of my experience as an assistant director at Christ Church Episcopal Preschool, the providers I work with know that I fully understand their hardships and look to PSSA when they need help! For so many years, it was just myself and my ED Leslie. As I mentioned earlier, starting a Non-Profit is hard and we both had to assume many different job hats to get the job done. Some of those aspects for me are: Marketing, Membership, technical support for our members, IT support for our organization, supervising our 2 part-time employees, outreach, and so much more!
I am just so proud that both Leslie and I have been able to put our vision of what PSSA should look like into reality. We have finally grown to a place where we have 2 part-time employees and feel like we are on the cusp of really exciting things.
I love that we have been able to take a very innovative approach to helping the ECE community and brought it to fruition!
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Persistence is so important. Don’t take no for an answer. We were told NO so many times in the early days and now we are known throughout the state!
Now, when I say this, I mean be polite and acknowledge what others bring to the table. Be honest about how they can help you and what you want from them. People like to feel important and needed.
Pricing:
- Annual membership for a childcare center is $300
- Annual membership for a family home provider is $150
Contact Info:
- Email: shelley@palmettoservices.org
- Website: https://palmettoservices.org/
- Instagram: instagram.com/palmettoservices
- Facebook: facebook.com/palmettosharedservicesalliance
- Twitter: twitter.com/palmettoshared
Image Credits
Shelley Summer
