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During the past four decades, Terry was
Maryland Committee for Children's strongest advocate, most
caring steward, and greatest visionary. Terry's unwavering
commitment to very young children and her keen understanding
of the complexity of the issues surrounding child care have
served as cornerstones for the development of MCC as the premier
child care advocacy organization in the country.
As president of MCC, Terry shaped the
evolution of the child care field both locally and nationally.
As far back as 1965, her vision was clearly articulated: 1)
We must train all child care workers to do a better job; 2)
Babies brains grow the most during the first years of life
and therefore we must teach parents about the importance of
early childhood education; 3) We must increase the supply
of child care and early education programs; and 4) We must
convince policy makers that child care is important.
As Terry herself said at a 1970 White House Conference on
Children, "It is much cheaper to provide a solid foundation
for society today than to apply a series of Band-Aids which
will only heal social wounds tomorrow."
Throughout her life, Terry exhibited a
commitment to a standard of excellence, particulary as it
related to advocacy on behalf of our nation's children.
She provided leadership to a number of child advocacy organizations
beyond MCC, including the Day Care and Child Development Council
of America, the National Conference of Organizations for Children
and Youth, the National Family Resource Coalition, and Friends
of the Family. She was recognized for being a catalyst
of social change by, among others, the American Jewish Committee
and the National Council of Jewish Women.
In 1977, MCC established the Therese Weil
Lansburgh Award to honor those who demonstrate an exceptional
commitment to children and their families. As it says
on the award: "The myth is that we are a child loving society.
The reality is that there are few among us who have the clarity
of vision and the strength of purpose to identify the needs
of children and to lead the fight to meet those needs.
Therese Weil Lansburgh stands as a signal to those of us who
share concern for the well being of the children of this nation.
She has demonstrated what one individual can do to educate
a city, state and a nation about our obligations to our future."
My heartfelt thanks to Terry for being
such a good friend and mentor to me and for her wonderful
work. She improved the lives of hundreds of thousands
of children with her amazing vision, skill, hard work, and
unswerving commitment.
Sandra J. Skolnik
Executive Director
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