News

June 30, 2026

Keystone STARS Performance Standards Available in Spanish

The Keystone STARS Performance Standards are now available in Spanish.

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The performance standards operate on the principle that quality learning programs are the foundation for children’s success and that investment in the early care and education of children is an investment in the future.

The standards are organized into four STAR levels that build on each other to support continuous quality improvement. When a program meets performance standards for a specific STAR level, it receives a STAR designation.

A Keystone STARS designation indicates that children are in a safe, quality, respectful environment.

For more information and to view the Spanish version of the Keystone STARS Performance Standards, visit The Pennsylvania Key’s website.

News

The Buzzword is WIGGLY

As part of its programming, Buzzword distributes its signature “BUZZ Boxes” to local families to help excite children from birth to age five as well as their caregivers about new words that are all around them. These family engagement kits come complete with a high-quality children’s book and enriching activities that support early literacy skills and development.

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This month’s Buzzword is WIGGLY, which means moving, twisting, and shaking around with quick, little, or curvy motions. Buzzword’s WIGGLY Activity Book will give children – ages birth to five – and their caregivers the opportunity to connect through science, art, music, and early literacy activities.

Caregivers are encouraged to read through Look, Touch, Learn, Sea by Charlotte Archer with their child. Then, they should go through the different activities and ideas together, taking time to explain the meaning of the words and connecting them to their child’s real-life experiences.

Buzzword has also provided a WIGGLY book list of recommendations from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for further reading.

More Information

Want to learn more on how to get involved with Buzzword? Ask your local Allegheny County Family Center about the program, or email buzzword@tryingtogether.org.

News

June 29, 2026

Start Strong PA Urges Providers to Send Letters to Policymakers About Success of Recruitment and Retention Program

Start Strong PA is calling on providers of child care programs who received additional funding from last year’s state budget to send a message to Pennsylvania state legislators to let them know that investments in the state’s early care and education programs are beneficial.

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Currently, state lawmakers are finalizing the state’s 2026-2027 budget. Start Strong PA is urging child care providers to reach out to policymakers to ask them to include, at minimum, the following proposed investments in the early care and education workforce:

A $10 million increase for the Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program
A $2 million increase for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program
A $7.5 million increase for Pre-K Counts

Start Strong PA is asking providers who received a Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Award or funding to provide bonuses to staff to let policymakers know if the bonus helped to pay bills, catch up on expenses, support one’s family, or reduce financial stress.

Providers can also let policymakers know whether the additional funding helped them to feel recognized for the work they do every day. Those who contact legislators can personalize their letters with their own story.

For more information, visit Start Strong PA’s website.

News

Resources for July Observances

Various organizations, states, and nations recognize a number of observances each month. Resources can help parents, caregivers, and child care professionals acknowledge and navigate them.

Here is a list of resources for July observances.

Month-Long Observances

National Parks and Recreation Month

Pittsburgh Parks Department, CitiParks
Summer Program Guide, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Top Green Spaces and Public Parks in Pittsburgh, Visit Pittsburgh
Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature, Child Mind Institute
Free Worksheet: Thank a Park Ranger Card, Education.com
Become a Junior Ranger, National Park Service
The Benefits of Outdoor Play: Why It Matters, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

National Make a Difference to Children Month

Most Popular Pittsburgh Children & Youth Nonprofits and Charities, Great Nonprofits
Positive Parenting, National Institute of Health
The Power of Positive Parenting, UC Davis Health
10 Ways to Build a Strong Parent-Child Relationship, Emotionally Healthy Kids
Family Engagement, Office of Head Start and Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center
Fix Child Care, Start Strong PA

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

BIPOC Mental Health Month, Mental Health America
Mental Health Disparities: Diverse Populations, American Psychiatric Association
Mental Health Doesn’t Discriminate, So Why Do BIPOC Communities Have Difficulty Accessing Care?, Jefferson Center for Mental Health
Prioritizing Minority Mental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Where to Find Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents in Pittsburgh, The University of Pittsburgh Youth and Family Research Program
BIPOC/AAPI Mental Health Resources, NAMI New Hampshire
Anti-Racism Resources for Families, Trying Together
Multilingual Trauma Resources, The Child Mind Institute

Days of Recognition

July 4 is Independence Day

Ways to Celebrate Independence Day in Pittsburgh in 2026, Visit Pittsburgh
A Nation’s Story: What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?, National Museum of African-American History & Culture (NMAAHC)
What to Know About Fourth of July Origins and Traditions, PBS
Making Our Voices Heard: Books About Activism for Kids, Read Brightly

July 14 is International Nonbinary People’s Day

Gender Identity Development in Early Childhood, Trying Together
Resource List: LGBTQ+ Organizations, Trying Together
Understanding Nonbinary People: How to Be Respectful and Supportive, National Center for Transgender Equality
Children’s Books That Teach Tolerance, Goodreads
Early Childhood Book List: Learning About Gender Diversity, Social Justice Books

July 25 is World Drowning Prevention Day

Drowning Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Drowning Prevention and Facts, American Red Cross
Water Safety at Home, Safe Kids Worldwide
Toddler Water Safety: 14 Ways to Keep Safer, Stop Drowning Now
Swim and Water Safety, Autism Speaks
How to Perform Child and Baby CPR, American Red Cross

July 26 is National Parents’ Day

The Best Ways to Celebrate Parents’ Day, American Lifestyle Magazine
Caring for the Caregiver, Trying Together
Positive Parenting Tips, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Series, Trying Together
Being a Step Parent and Raising Your Partner’s Child, Raising Children
Resources to Share with Expectant Families, Office of Head Start
Find Child Care, ELRC Region 5

July 26 is National Disability Independence Day

Ideas for Celebrating the ADA, ADAAnniversary.org
Disability and Autism Supports, Allegheny County Department of Human Services
Disability Resources in the Community, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)
Disability Pride Month: Booklists for Children and YA: Loyola Marymount University
Service Dog 101: Humane Animal Rescue
Guide to Disability Rights Laws, U.S. Department of Justice: Civil Rights Division

News

Southwestern PA Aspiring Leaders with Disabilities Can Apply for Fellowship Program

Aspiring leaders with disabilities in the Pittsburgh region can now apply for the 2027 Disability Lead Institute’s fellows program.

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The Institute Fellows vary from community activists and artists to entrepreneurs and corporate employees who live or work in Southwestern Pennsylvania or the Chicago region.

Fellows are emerging or established leaders who are interested in exploring their disability identity and learning how to lead with power and influence among a group of peers.

Ideal candidates are described as:

Those who self identify as a person with a disability
Has at least five years of leadership experience in any context
Committed to seeking voluntary participation on a board, commission, or other leadership position in public, private, or nonprofit sectors
Committed to strengthening cross-disability identity and knowledge
Interested in expanding leadership skills and self awareness and advancing their career
Located in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Somerset, Washington, or Westmoreland counties

To learn more about the fellowship or to apply, visit the 2027 Disability Lead Institute’s website.

News

June 24, 2026

Proceeds from Washington Wild Things Game in August to Benefit Trying Together

Trying Together and SmartKids Child Care & Learning Center invite families to join them for a Family Fun Night at the Washington Wild Things game on Sunday, August 9.

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The Wild Things will take on the Evansville Otters during the game at EQT Park. Children, ages 12 and under, will get in free and receive a voucher for a free meal that night at the game.

To support the work of Trying Together and the Washington, Pa.-based SmartKids Child Care & Learning Center, 50% of ticket sale proceeds will go to the two organizations.

The game will begin at 4:05 p.m. on August 9 at EQT Park, located at 1 Washington Federal Way in Washington.

The event will also include a kid’s area with inflatables on the third-base side. A ticket costs $1 to play on the four inflatables.

Tickets can be purchased online. A single ticket for attendees ages 13 and above will be $11.50. Group reserved seats are located in Section 206. Tickets can be purchased until 6:35 p.m. on game day.

News

Pittsburgh Offering Free Meals for Children At Rec Centers, Other Locations Through August

Through mid-August, any child under the age of 18 can receive free breakfast, lunch, and snacks at eight rec centers and more than 40 partner locations in Pittsburgh.

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CitiParks is working with Pittsburgh Public Schools, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Turner’s, Monteverde’s, and the American Dairy Association to offer the program. The continuance of the program was announced last week in Highland Park, CBS News reported.

Children under age 18 – or those with intellectual disabilities up to age 21 – can receive a free meal at one of eight CitiParks rec centers. Numerous other locations providing the meals can be found on the city’s website. The programs wrap up for the summer at various times in August, with the latest closing down on August 14.

The eight rec center locations include:

Ammon Rec Center (2217 Bedford Avenue)
Brookline Rec Center (1400 Oakridge Street)
Jefferson Rec Center (605 Rednap Street)
Magee Rec Center (745 Greenfield Avenue)
Ormsby Rec Center (79 S. 22nd Street)
Paulson Rec Center (1201 Paulson Avenue)
Phillips Rec Center (201 Parkfield Street)
Warrington Rec Center (329 E. Warrington Avenue)

The city has also provided a printable summer food program.

News

June 23, 2026

Child Mind Institute Resources Focus on Effects of Traumatic Separation

Whether it’s a young child whose father disappears without warning, one whose caregiver is detained and deported, or a young person who is placed in foster care, separation from a parent or caregiver can be traumatic for a child.

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Traumatic separation, according to the Child Mind Institute, is a clinical concept based on the importance of the caregiver- or parent-child bond and the profound effects that can result from breaking it.

The element that makes a separation harmful is not necessarily its length, but its character – ones that are sudden or confusing or those that come about through large-scale distressing events, such as a war or natural disaster.

In its latest set of resources, the Child Mind Institute has provided an article about how traumatic separation affects children of all ages and how the right support can prevent long-lasting negative effects and help them to recover. Another piece focuses on separation anxiety and other effects on children, such as difficulty paying attention, acting out, or regression.

The resources also feature information on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), advice for military families on how to help children feel secure and connected when parents are deployed, and a discussion of how serious stress can affect child development and why it’s important to help them learn coping strategies and build resilience.

The resources include:

News

Study: Families Approve of Allegheny County Summer Programs But Many Face Barriers to Access Them

Many families in Allegheny County face barriers to accessing summer programs, but caregivers with children who attend the programs are mostly pleased with them, according to data from the America After 3PM study.

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The Afterschool Alliance and Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST) shared county-specific data from the report, “The Summer Struggle for Everyday Families: Affording the Opportunities Parents Want for Youth.”

APOST noted that 96% of Allegheny County caregivers whose child is enrolled said they were satisfied with the program their child attends. A total of 91% of caregivers also favored public funding for summer learning opportunities, APOST’s study found.

“Finding affordable summer programs for their children is a major challenge for too many Allegheny County families,” said Jodi Grant, the Afterschool Alliance’s executive director. “Parents need to stay in their jobs to provide for their families, but when they can’t find affordable summer programs, their children may be unsupervised, on screens, at risk, and in some cases without healthy food during the summer months.”

Grant added that she believed the county should invest more in summer programs that keep children safe, engaged, and learning while giving working families peace of mind.

The report’s key findings included:

Affordability remains the top barrier, particularly for low- and middle-income families.
Caregivers want their children to have summer learning opportunities.
For families who can access programs, the experience is a positive one.
A majority of caregivers – both those with and without children in summer programs – support public funding for programs.

For more information, read the America After 3PM report.