Support Resources for Families

Organizations and tools that offer support.

Trying Together

Trying Together supports high-quality care and education for young children by providing advocacy, community resources, and professional growth opportunities for the needs and rights of children, their families, and the individuals who interact with them. Visit the Trying Together website to view all of our available resources.

Featured Resources

• • Family Care & Education Forum
• • The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center
• • Remote Learning Resources
• • COVID-19: Resources for Parents and Caregivers
• • Anti-Racism Tools

Allegheny Child Care

In partnership with the Allegheny County Department of Human Services and Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School-Time (APOST), Trying Together developed Allegheny Child Care. By using this online tool, parents and caregivers of young children can search for available child care spots at early learning, after-school, out-of-school, summer camp, and virtual programs in Allegheny County.

To use the tool, visit the Allegheny Child Care website. For additional support in finding child care and/or funding your child care needs, visit the ELRC Region 5 website or call 412.350.3577.

Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRCs)

Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRCs) provide a single point-of-contact for families, early learning service providers, and communities to gain information and access services that support high-quality child care and early learning programs.

To request support and learn more, visit the ELRC Region 5 website or call 412.350.3577.

Services

• • Provides assistance in understanding, identifying, and enrolling in high-quality child care.
• • Provides assistance in enrolling to receive public benefits through COMPASS (SNAP, CHIP, Medical Assistance, etc.).
• • Provides information about Family Support Centers.
• • Connects caregivers to an appropriate home visiting program, including Early Head Start (EHS).

United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania

United Way fights for the health, education, financial stability, and basic needs of everyone in Southwestern Pennsylvania communities. If your family is struggling to access food, pay bills, or needs access to health and human services, contact 2-1-1 via phone, text your zip code to 898-11, or search their service database.

Services

• • Connects individuals to Rent Payment Assistance, Utility Assistance, Housing Search Assistance, Transportation Expense Assistance, and more.
• • Connects individuals to food pantries, soup kitchens, SNAP, general clothing provision, diaper assistance, and more.
• • Connects individuals to homeless shelters, community shelters, homelessness prevention programs, and more.

COMPASS

COMPASS is an online platform managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (PA DHS) to provides community members access to many of Pennsylvania’s health and human services benefits, allowing them to learn about benefits, see if they qualify, apply for benefits, and more. To learn more, visit the COMPASS website. If you are a caregiver who is searching for child care and other early learning programs, visit their program search page.

Services

• • Helps families and caregivers identify and access early learning programs in their area.
• • Allows community members to complete one application for multiple benefits, such as SNAP, CHIP, Cash Assistance, Free or Reduced Price School Meals, Child Care Works, Medical Assistance, and more.
• • Sends applications to the appropriate agency for review.

The Alliance for Infants and Toddlers

The Alliance for Infants and Toddlers is the Service Coordination unit for families of children receiving  Early Intervention services (birth to three years of age) in Allegheny County. If you are concerned about your child’s development or would like to know more about Early Intervention services, contact the Alliance at 412.-885.6000 or fill out this contact form. Eligibility criteria apply.

Services

• • Provides parent education and support, including identification and referral to community resources.
• • Provides monitor services in areas such as movement, language and communication, social and play skills, problem solving, and self-help.
• • Assists your child and family in transitioning to appropriate services at age three, including Department of Education funded pre-kindergarten programs.