Catalyst Family: where we’ve been, where we are, where we’re going….

Catalyst Family Inc. has been preparing children for success in school, creating a foundation for life-long learning, and supporting families throughout the state of California for over 45 years. Our nonprofit agency was established 1975 as Continuing Development Incorporated, in 2020 we rebranded to Catalyst Family, Inc. 

Catalyst Family Inc. operates Catalyst Kids, Catalyst Community, and Catalyst Camps. Each of our sub-organizations supports and promotes our mission of providing responsive services for communities, families, and children.  

During our rebranding in 2020, we went through a thoughtful and collaborative process as an organization to assess who we are, where we’re going, and what about our history will transcend forward. Over the last 45 years, we’ve established roots in the industry through our accredited programming and partnerships with 40 school districts. It was important for us to stay true to our past, while incorporating a more modern approach, better telling the story of who we are today. After months of working with a professional branding agency, Design In Mind, we found that the Catalyst Brands best represented us.  

We’re delighted to be cruising past our first-year anniversary as a fresh family of brands. During this last year, we’ve re-established our roots, while morphing and growing around the evolving changes that this last year has brought. Flexing around the demands of the pandemic, while providing a safe space for children to grow during unprecedented times.  

After a year in our new shoes, we’re grateful for how well they fit. We feel like we’ve always been Catalyst (Kids, Camps, Community)! In a way, we have – we’ve always been a catalyst for education, new friendships, deeper community connections…and so much more! 

Catalyst Kids is what we like to call our bread and butter, providing childcare services for thousands of children in nearly 170 centers throughout California. Catalyst Kids is the largest state-wide subsidized childcare provider. With programs for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners, and school-aged children, Catalyst Kids is a place where children learn through discovery and play-based learning. At the end of each day, we strive to inspire bright kids to be their best – every day.  

Catalyst Community was established in order to better serve our families and communities by providing a centralized place where parents can seek resources for childcare, food programs, and provider services. The mission of Catalyst Community is to provide support through the education and enhancement of family and provider services. Catalyst Community services put families back in the center of the community.  

In the early 2000s, we recognized a need for the traditional camp experience and opened camp in Thousand Oaks, California. Catalyst Camps offers a unique camp experience, blending physical activities with hands-on tinkering while promoting collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking.  Catalyst Camps operates five programs in California, with camps located in: Camarillo, Conejo Valley, El Dorado Hills, and Livermore. Catalyst Camps also offers virtual camps throughout the school year that focus on STEM learning.  

As we celebrate our first year as the Catalyst Family Inc. brands, we’re excited to continue to shine at what we do best. As we continue to grow as an organization, in conjunction with an ever-developing community landscape, we’re working hard to stay true to our roots by supporting parents and families. We’re committed to continuing to assess and build-on programs and services that effectively improve our communities.