July 2025

News

July 16, 2025

Hub Hosts ‘Halal Hot Dogs’ Story Time That Celebrates Book’s Cuisine and Culture

The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center hosted a Storytime at the Hub event this week that introduced attendees to the culture in the book “Halal Hot Dogs” and included a tasty halal meal that celebrated that culture’s cuisine.

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During the July 15 event, children and their caregivers listened to a reading of Susannah Aziz’s “Halal Hot Dogs,” a story that centers around a boy named Musa and his family as they share their favorite dishes.

In the story, the family attends Jummah prayer service and has a special meal afterward. This week, it’s Musa’s turn to choose the post-Jummah treat and he chooses halal hot dogs. The story chronicles his adventure in his neighborhood to find his favorite food.

Jason Fate, the Hub’s program coordinator, said halal eatery Shuman’s Homewood prepared and delivered several of the dishes enjoyed by Musa’s family in the book. Attendees at the event enjoyed halal hot dogs, mecluba (a Palestinian dish of meat, rice, and vegetables), Riz bi Haleeb (a Lebanese rice pudding with pistachio topping), and molokhia (a Middle Eastern stew made of green molokhia leaves and meat), while also learning about the food and culture.

“The team at the Hub has been discussing ways to incorporate and lift up different cultures and traditions,” Fate said. “At the heart of this is family and the joy of sharing in learning together, enjoying a meal together, and getting closer to each other.”

The event, which drew 14 attendees, taught children and their caregivers about the different dishes described in the book, and they were able to sample the unique flavors described in “Halal Hot Dog.” Fate said attendees learned the name of the dishes and discussed the importance of sharing a meal together.

“We believe that when you learn about different beliefs and cultures, it can help foster empathy, open-mindedness, and curiosity,” Fate said.

Fate added that Shuman’s Homewood is a long-standing partner with the Hub that often provides meals for its events and programs.

“When we decided to do the ‘Halal Hot Dogs’ book, we thought this might be a good opportunity to share about the foods described in the book,” he said. “Shuman’s provides halal options and many of the dishes from the story. Naela Shuman and Muhammad Mere from Shuman’s Homewood have provided support to many residents and organizations in the neighborhood and have been a powerful force for good in Homewood.”

Local resident Barbara Lewis attended the event with grandchildren.

“This was such a great idea, and what an experience to try different foods,” she said. “I love the Homewood Hub & Family Center, and I will always come back.”

Fate said the Hub intends to do more events in the future similar to the book-and-food pairing “Halal Hot Dogs” event.

The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center is located at 7219 Kelly St. in Pittsburgh.

News

OCDEL Invests in Early Care and Education Professional Development Initiative

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning announced its Early Care and Education Professional Development Organization (ECE PDO) initiative that is aimed at building capacity within the state’s early childhood education workforce.

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OCDEL will invest $13 million in federal funding to support a comprehensive system of credit-bearing coursework, credential, and degree attainment for early childhood education professionals throughout the state.

Following a recompete process, three professional development organizations have been chosen to support six regions across Pennsylvania:

Philadelphia and Southeast Region: Public Health Management Corporation
Central Region, Northeast Region, and Southwest Region: Shippensburg University
Northwest Region: Northwest Institute of Research

Early Care and Education Professional Development Organizations facilitate access to credit-bearing, stackable, and portable coursework and credentials, including CDSs, associate and bachelor’s degrees. They work to provide access to learning opportunities and coordinate regionally tailored supports that meet the diverse needs of early childhood education professionals.

Programs offered through the ECE PDOs align with the state’s Early Childhood Educator Career and Educational Pathway.

For more information or to connect with a regional PDO, visit The Pennsylvania Key’s Professional Development Organizations page.

News

July 15, 2025

Allegheny County DHS Document Provides Information on Variety of Crisis Services

Those seeking mental health or drug and alcohol services in the Pittsburgh region have multiple options through the Allegheny County Department of Human Services.

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Allegheny County residents can find a wealth of information in a document from the department that lists everything from emergency contacts in the county to a variety of other services.

Included in the document are:

Emergency contacts – 24/7 resources for crisis support
How to contact Allegheny County’s Department of Human Services
Designated facilities for emergency psychiatric examinations
Housing and shelter services
Drug and alcohol service providers
Mental health service providers
Student assistance program (SAP)
Early intervention services

Aside from the department’s Crisis Services hotline (1-888-796-8226), the document lists a variety of other crisis support services, such as walk-in center information, mobile crisis teams, specialized teams for children and adolescents, short-term overnight services, suicide hotlines, and an after-hours drug and alcohol engagement center for substance use crises.

The resources also describe how to handle situations involving emotionally distressed family members or friends, what to do if you or a loved one are a victim of a crime, or what a parent can do if they are having a hard time supporting their child. There is also information for those who are homeless or at-risk of becoming so, what to do if you suspect the abuse or neglect of a child or adult, and where to call if your home loses heat.

For more information, check out Allegheny County Department of Human Services’ Where To Call: Directory of Mental Health & Drug and Alcohol Services.

News

Trying Together Joins ELPA in Praising Passage of House Bill That Includes Early Care and Learning Workforce Investments

The principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA) applauded the Pennsylvania House’s bipartisan passage of House Bill 1330 that includes Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed investments in the early care and learning workforce.

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ELPA, a statewide coalition of advocates of which Trying Together is a member that focuses on supporting young Pennsylvanians from birth to age 5, issued a statement following the passage of the bill on Monday.

“The governor and Pennsylvania House of Representatives responded to the pleas of Pennsylvanians to prioritize early care and learning by investing in early childhood educators and ensuring that their critical work of caring for and educating young children is valued,” the statement read. “These educators are the workforce behind the workforce in Pennsylvania, and their work matters to children, families, businesses, and Pennsylvania’s economic security.”

House Bill 1330 includes the following investments above Fiscal Year 2024-25 appropriations:

A $55 million investment in a new and recurring Child Care Recruitment and Retention line item to grant licensed child care providers participating in the child care subsidy program with $1,000 per educator
$17 million in additional funding for Pre-K Counts
A $16.2 million increase for infant/toddler early intervention and a $38.1 million increase for preschool early intervention

ELPA noted that the House’s passage of the bill is a positive step toward a final budget agreement and that this demonstrates that state lawmakers stand with families with young children on early childhood line items.

The coalition’s partners also encouraged the state Senate to support the investments and ensure that $9.5 million is provided for Pennsylvania’s Head Start Supplemental Assistance Programs in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget.

“These urgently needed investments will stabilize and reverse the exodus of early educators, directly benefit tens of thousands of early childhood professionals and keep child care centers open, so parents can go to work,” the ELPA’s statement read. “Additionally, these investments will begin to reverse the billions of dollars in lost productivity and earnings suffered by working families and employers when families do not have the reliable child care they need.”

Take Action

The PA House took the next step in funding early learning programs, but the budget process is far from over. PA Senators need to hear from you immediately. Take action by visiting https://tryingtogether.org/advocacy/current-issue/

News

Child Mind Institute Provides Resources for Summer Sensory Processing Issues

The Child Mind Institute has compiled a list of resources for sensory processing issues that are exacerbated by summer.

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For many children with autism, The Child Mind Institute writes, summer can be a challenging season. Because many of them can be sensitive to light or certain sounds and textures, they might not enjoy things that other children do – such as playing in the sand on the beach or watching July 4th fireworks.

The Child Mind Institute has put together some resources that parents can utilize to help children with autism enjoy the season on their own terms.

Tips on how to navigate overstimulating summer activities involve planning and letting children know what to expect, whether you’re going on vacation or outside on a hot day, as well as smoothing transitions from one environment to another since unfamiliar sensations can lead children to act out.

Rather than avoiding potentially stressful situations, The Child Mind Institute notes that it’s better to prepare for them by carrying comfortable clothing, earplugs, sunglasses, and other items. Showing kids how to deal with unpleasant sensory experiences helps them to recognize their needs and learn to manage situations on their own.

Here are The Child Mind Institute’s resources on managing sensory processing issues during the summer:

News

July 14, 2025

PA Promise for Children Lists 11 Books for Children During Shark Week

With Shark Week kicking off on July 20, PA Promise for Children has put together a list of books that might be fun for young fans of the ferocious fish.

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The list includes 11 shark-themed books that children might enjoy.

The list includes:

Hello, World! Kids’ Guides: Exploring Sharks (Jill McDonald)
Stella: The Shark Who Loves Treasure (Sarah Cullen and Carmen Ellis)
I Am the Shark (Joan Holub)
Good Night Sharks (Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper)
The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark (Ken Geist)
I’m Getting a Shark (Brady Smith)
Big Shark, Little Shark (Anna Membrino)
Pizza Shark: A Fin-tastic Feast (Mike Lowery)
Shark in the Park (Nick Sharratt)
Five Little Sharks Swimming in the Sea (Steve Metzger)
Gilbert the Great (Jane Clarke and Charles Fuge)

More information on the list can be found on PA Promise for Children’s website.

News

PA Promise for Children Resource Emphasizes the Importance of Play

PA Promise for Children has put together resources on the importance of play for children’s well-being and brain development.

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In The Importance of Play, PA Promise for Children notes that play is as important to a child’s well-being as work is for an adult. Play is important for brain development by teaching children new skills and how to share with others. It helps them to make decisions and learn about the world as well as work through scary and confusing experiences.

But, PA Promise for Children writes, nearly 40 percent of elementary schools have eliminated recess or are considering it, and many kindergartners in full-day programs have no break for recess.

Real Play

Play workers in the United Kingdom consider real play to be “socially interactive, first-hand, and loosely supervised.” The American Academy of Pediatrics argues that play should be child-driven – not adult-directed – and that it is important that children have independent time away from TV, tablets, and video games for the purpose of producing “healthy, fit young bodies.”

Encouraging play, PA Promise for Children notes, can help children who have time for free, open-ended play to score higher in reading and math tests. A lack of real play, on the other hand, can lead to childhood obesity, higher levels of frustration, stress, and aggression as well as a lack of creativity and imagination.

Some of the types of play encouraged are:

Large and small-motor play
Language play (telling stories, making up silly songs)
Construction play (building things)
Sensory play (playing in mud or water)
Make-believe play
Rough-and-tumble and risk-taking play
Symbolic play (turning a stick into a magic wand, for example)
Mastery play (learning how to do new things)

To learn more, read PA Promise for Children’s The Importance of Play.

News

July 11, 2025

Pittsburgh Announces New Traffic Safety and Calming Measures Across City

Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure has announced new traffic safety and calming measures at multiple locations around the city as part of the Safe Routes to School program.

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The city secured a federal grant to fund safety improvements for students who walk or bike to school. The initiative is a partnership with PennDOT.

Construction work is expected to start on Monday, July 14 at three locations over a period of two weeks. Hours of construction will be 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Temporary no-parking signage will be posted throughout the corridor where work is taking place.

Locations

The three locations for the initiative include:

Pittsburgh Arlington Elementary – intersection improvements near Rectenwald and McManus streets, including new ADA ramps, curb extensions, and upgraded LED lighting
Propel Hazelwood Elementary – two speed humps on Glenwood Avenue and pedestrian refuge island on 2nd Avenue at Alameda Street
Faison Elementary Homewood – chokers/curb extensions on Tioga Street to prevent wrong-way driving and pedestrian refuge island at N. Braddock Avenue and Susquehanna Street

Impacts to traffic will be minimal, with the exception of Glenwood Avenue. During the speed hump construction, the road will be closed to through traffic, although flaggers will be stationed at each end to allow traffic access to and from their residences.

Questions about the project should emailed to saferoutestoschool@pittsburghpa.gov. For more information on the city’s traffic calming program, visit the Safe Routes to School website.

News

July 10, 2025

CDA Exam Scheduling Changes to Go Into Effect on Aug. 1

The Council for Professional Recognition has announced CDA exam scheduling changes that are effective as of early August.

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Beginning on Aug. 1, the council is implementing a new exam-first approach for the CDA credentialing process. The change enhances standardization and streamlines the process, allowing candidates to demonstrate their expertise in a structured manner.

Candidates must now complete the CDA exam before scheduling their verification visit with a professional development specialist.

Updated Process

After payment, candidates will receive their first Ready to Schedule notification, outlining their six-month deadline to complete the exam and verification visit as well as authorize them to schedule their exam.

Once the exam score is received, candidates will get a second notification, authorizing them to schedule their verification visit with a professional development specialist.

The six-month timeline to complete the exam and verification visit remains unchanged. Therefore, candidates should schedule their exam as soon as possible.

The exam scheduling process has been changed to ensure standardization by creating consistency across all CDA holders and support future enhancements by aligning with future changes that will further strengthen the CDA credentialing process.

For more information and to view the FAQ section, visit the Council for Professional Recognition’s announcement.

News

July 9, 2025

Webinar to Focus on How Extreme Heat Can Affect Young Children

Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child will host a webinar on how extreme summer heat can affect young children.

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Excess heat can affect young children’s development and health both in the moment of contact and across their lifespan. Putting together strategies to reduce exposure to extreme heat benefits children and their caregivers.

The Center for the Developing Child will host a live conversation, Addressing the Impact of Extreme Heat on Young Children, at 1 p.m. on July 17. The webinar will explore how communities are working to reduce the effects of extreme heat on early childhood development.

The discussion will be led by Lindsey Burghardt, MD, MPH, FAAP, the center’s science officer and founding director of the Early Childhood Scientific Council on Equity and the Environment.

Panelists will include Michelle Kang, chief executive officer of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and Jennifer Vanos, associate professor in the School of Sustainability and the College of Global Futures at Arizona State University. They will share strategies to protect children from extreme heat, support caregivers, and ensure the healthy development of all children.

Those interested in attending the webinar should register on the Center on the Developing Child.