January 29, 2019 Start Strong PA Hosts Statewide Campaign Launch in Harrisburg On January 29, Start Strong PA hosted their official statewide campaign launch event at the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex in Harrisburg. What is Start Strong PA? Guided by evidence-based research, the Start Strong PA campaign was launched to help ensure that every Pennsylvania infant and toddler starts off strong. By advocating for increased access to and affordability of high-quality child care programs, the campaign aims to support healthy childhood development, working families, and the Pennsylvania economy. Speaking on behalf of the campaign, Jodi Askins, Executive Director of PennAEYC, stated: “Infant-toddler brains make over a million neural connections every second – forming brain architecture for life. At no other time in a human’s life will the brain develop at this remarkable speed or with such intricacy. This is the foundation upon which all later learning, behavior, and health depend. That’s why we need Pennsylvanians to join us and help our infants and toddlers ‘start strong’!” At the Launch With approximately 75 early childhood advocates in attendance, including state legislators, professionals, and families with children in child care, the launch began with a complimentary coffee bar (made possible by Little Amps Coffee Roasters), pictures of legislators’ young children, and conversations on the important role that high-quality child care plays in the lives of our infants and toddlers. A press conference was held later in the afternoon, featuring representatives from partner organizations, state legislators, administration, parents, and high-quality child care programs. Various early childhood education and care topics were highlighted, including issues of access, affordability, low wages, and a need for more high-quality early childhood staff. Parent Lauren Bethea spoke about her experiences waiting for care for her daughter Lorraine: “The weight of the world was on my shoulders until my child got into a high-quality program. Every young child like Lorraine deserves this opportunity. Waiting for space in a program until your child is 2, 3, or even older before enrollment is not an option for so many families.” Deputy Secretary Suzann Morris spoke to her role as a mother and to her leadership role over current initiatives of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, sharing that work is underway to make early childhood programs more efficient such as program coordination in regional Early Learning Resource Centers. Watch the full press conference here. Quotes from Pennsylvania Legislators At the press conference, state legislators spoke out on the following topics: Senator Pat Browne, Co-Chair, Early Childhood Education Caucus “This is the type of results-based thinking that’s necessary to maximize where the state spends its limited amount of discretionary revenue. These early learning programs have a proven track record of helping prevent at-risk young people from falling behind or dropping out of school. Looking long-term, young people who receive early learning assistance are more likely to become productive members of our community. By prioritizing spending on these vital programs it will save the Commonwealth long-term costs.” Senator Jay Costa “Paying [early childhood professionals] some of the lowest wages in the service industry is simply unacceptable and needs to change.” Representative Mark Longietti, Co-Chair, Early Childhood Education Caucus “Programs provide a safe and secure environment and teachers help children learn the “executive function” and self-regulation skills that are necessary for life success – from being able to pay attention, plan, and prioritize to recognizing, naming and controlling their emotions.” Representative Lynda Schlegel Culver “The state has a waiting list of over 4,300 kids for a subsidy and an average waiting time of 88 days as of November. And only one-third of children receiving subsidized care were in Keystone STAR 3 or 4 programs.” How You Can Support Help us inform and engage Pennsylvania policymakers on the changes necessary to increase access, affordability, and quality in infant/toddler child care programs and sign-on your support here or download, complete, and email this sign-on form to info@startstrongpa.org. For updates on the campaign, follow Start Strong PA on Facebook and Twitter. Questions For questions or to schedule an interview with campaign launch speakers or Start Strong PA partner organizations, please contact Lissa Geiger Shulman at 717.802.1881 or lissa@tryingtogether.org.
Looking Forward, Together Can you believe it’s been one year since we changed our name to Trying Together?! As I reflect on all that has changed, particularly in the last two years, I am encouraged by what has stood the test of time: our commitment to supporting the work of early childhood. Through our collaborations with you, we are creating a future in which caregivers feel valued, children have access to high-quality early learning environments, and families have the resources they need to support their children’s early learning experiences. We look forward to working together with you to make this vision a reality for all young children and their caregivers in 2019 and beyond. Like Fred Rogers said, “…trying together, just about anything can be possible.” Cheers, Cara Ciminillo, Trying Together Executive Director
January 16, 2019 DHS Will Issue February SNAP Benefits Early On January 8, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) notified states that February benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be fully funded. In order to receive funding however, February benefits must be issued by January 20, 2019. The Department of Human Services (DHS) has determined that they will be able to issue February SNAP benefits by January 20 in order to meet the federally imposed deadline. Below is what you need to know about SNAP benefits in January and February. Receiving February Benefits All SNAP recipients who did not have a renewal due in January, or whose renewal for January was completed by January 14, will receive their February benefits on their electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards on January 18, 2019. For those (with January renewals due) who completed their renewal after January 14, February benefits will be available on their EBT card one day after their renewal is processed. What This Means for SNAP Recipients These benefits will be the only benefit payment SNAP recipients will receive for the month of February. Recipients will not receive a payment on their regularly scheduled February payment date. This payment is not a bonus or increase in a recipient’s monthly payment. Rather, this payment is their benefit for the month of February. Recipients will need to make this early payment last through an undefined period of time if the government shutdown persists. DHS is awaiting further guidance from the USDA regarding the availability of benefits for March. Because of this, recipients experiencing food insecurity may have greater challenges during this period. This will likely result in a higher number of individuals seeking aid from charitable food organizations around the commonwealth. Applications and Renewals DHS will continue to accept SNAP applications and process renewal applications. Recipients should continue reporting any changes and should submit the semi-annual reviews or renewals that they receive. DHS will continue to issue benefits to applicants found eligible in February until they are told to stop issuing by USDA. Questions and Concerns All County Assistance Offices remain open and staff are available to assist applicants and recipients during this time. For any questions about benefits, please contact the statewide customer service center at 1.877.395.8930. For residents of Philidelphia, contact 1.215.560.7226. Resources For any individual seeking additional food assistance, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has compiled a list of community resources and organizations.
January 4, 2019 Coats and Car Seats: Keeping Your Child Warm Winter means keeping kids warm, but did you know that babies and young children should NOT wear puffy coats or snowsuits when in their car seat? What Happens? As demonstrated by the video below, coats or snowsuits can compress under the harness of a car seat, sometimes up to four inches. When this happens, the compression can cause the straps of your child’s car seat to not fit properly, creating a dangerous situation. This situation can also happen with sleeping bags for babies, creating an unsafe ride for your baby. Recommendations If you’re looking for ways to keep your baby or young child warm while in a car seat, consider incorporating the following recommendations: Dress your baby or young child in snug layers, like onesies and leggings. Add long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, a hat, shoes, and socks. You can even include a jacket. For babies, use covers specifically for car seats that are designed to give warmth. These covers should be approved by the car-seat manufacturer for your specific car seat. For older babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners, after securing them in the car seat, turn their coat around and put it on backward (arms through the armholes) so the coat is on top of the harness, or use a blanket in the car. *Information provided by the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL)
