2025 marks a golden year for the Northwest Institute of Research, Inc. as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary! Throughout this milestone year, we are excited to host several community events that honor our achievements and the enduring legacy of our late founder, Dr. Joyce A. Miller, culminating in a special 50th Anniversary Gala in November.

While we reflect on our past, 2025 also represents a year of growth and progress. We are thrilled to announce that NWIR will be providing Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) services to Region 1 for the next five years. Additionally, we are proud to expand our impact by serving ELRC Region 2, which includes Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, and Warren Counties, for the next five years. Our newly opened hub in DuBois, PA is already making strides, and we look forward to engaging with the families and providers we serve in this region.

In celebration of our 50th Anniversary, we are also excited to complete our PANO Standards for Excellence ® accreditation, ensuring that our policies and procedures uphold the highest standards in governance, management, and legal compliance.

Through the JAM Team Foundation, we continue to advance the Miracle Spaces program, which creates inclusive and STEAM-based play spaces for early learning providers throughout ELRC Regions 1 and 2. This initiative has been further supported by a generous $35,000 Helping Today grant from the Erie Community Foundation. Additionally, we are making significant progress on the Miracle

Micro-Centers project, which blends the best features of childcare centers and in-home care. Stay tuned for more updates on this innovative project in 2025!

We look forward to all that this exciting year holds for our community and the future of NWIR.