Valley National Realty wins WINGS honorable mention for Child Care investment model

Valley National Realty received an Honorable Mention at TOOTRiS’s 2026 WINGS Summit for Jump the Curve, a model that helps employers pool capital to expand nearby Child Care capacity. The framework is designed to support providers, workers, and employers while aligning with the federal Section 45F tax credit.

Why it matters: - The Jump the Curve model is designed to help employers expand Child Care access near their workplaces without becoming Child Care operators. - The framework also directs investment toward provider facilities and staff development, which could help recruit and retain early childhood workers. - The model is built to fit the expanded federal Section 45F employer Child Care tax credit, which can offset qualifying employer costs.

What happened: - Valley National Realty earned an Honorable Mention at the 2026 TOOTRiS WINGS Summit for Jump the Curve. - Sebastian Holbrook presented the model before 300 Child Care leaders and industry partners at the summit. - The WINGS Awards selected six finalists from nationwide applications, and attendees voted on the winners. - More than $10,000 in funding and support was awarded across the program. - The summit took place Sept. 14-16 at the Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa in San Diego.

The details: - Jump the Curve brings employers together in a shared investment structure to acquire and renovate, or develop, a Child Care facility near participating workplaces. - Valley National Realty administers the project. - An independent Child Care provider leases and operates the facility. - Employers expand care options for employees while avoiding the responsibilities of becoming direct providers. - Providers gain access to modern facilities without financing the purchase or construction themselves. - The model includes a Provider-Employer Benefits Bridge. - That bridge reserves part of the investment for Child Care professionals’ health, wellness, training, and career advancement. - Valley National Realty says the structure helps providers recruit and retain qualified staff. - The model draws on the company’s affordable housing development experience in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. - The company has owned, developed and managed real estate in the Lehigh Valley for more than 30 years. - Valley National Realty says the Jump the Curve approach is 45F-eligible and leverages the Valley National Group of companies to manage every stage of development. - Employers that invest in employee Child Care may be eligible for a Section 45F tax credit equal to 50% of expenditures up to $600,000 per year, including eligible Jump the Curve expenses. - Valley National Realty can be reached through Sebastian Holbrook at sholbrook@valleynationalgroup.com or (610) 947-0483.

Between the lines: - The model tries to solve a common Child Care bottleneck: employers want access for workers, providers need better facilities, and workers need stronger pay and career pathways. - By pooling capital and separating ownership from operations, the framework lowers the barrier for employers that want to support Child Care without running a center themselves. - TOOTRiS framed the award as part of a broader effort to spread locally developed Child Care solutions across the industry. - Alessandra Lezama, TOOTRiS CEO, said innovation in Child Care often starts with people solving problems in their own communities.

What's next: - Valley National Realty will continue promoting Jump the Curve as a 45F-eligible development model for employers and Child Care providers. - The company’s pitch now has national visibility after the WINGS presentation and award recognition. - TOOTRiS will keep using the summit as a venue for sharing and scaling Child Care solutions.

The bottom line: - Valley National Realty is trying to turn employer Child Care spending into a shared real estate and workforce strategy, not just a benefit line item.