November 10, 2025 Will You Give Big This GivingTuesday? This GivingTuesday, Trying Together will participate in Give Big Pittsburgh, a 24-hour online fundraising effort hosted by Pittsburgh Magazine and presented by GBU Life. When you donate to Trying Together on December 2, you are part of a community of supporters who value the work of early childhood. Your financial support ensures that Trying Together can continue to advocate for young children and their caregivers, provide professional growth opportunities, and develop community resources. Will You Help Us Reach Our Goal? This year, we’ve set a goal of $5,000 — but we can’t reach that goal without your help! We encourage you to not only donate, but also to also raise money on behalf of Trying Together. Make a plan for December 2 to share with your friends and family members the important work we do, and ask them to join us in making a difference. You also have an opportunity to maximize your impact through our Double the Donation page. Simply search for your workplace and if they offer a matching gift program, you will be guided through how to submit a matching gift request. How to Give Gifts to Trying Together will be accepted on the Give Big Platform from Tuesday, Dec. 2 through Tuesday, Dec. 31. Donating to Trying Together on GivingTuesday is easy – simply complete the online donation form on the Give Big Pittsburgh platform. How Your Donation Helps When you donate to Trying Together, you are supporting a number of initiatives, including: Community-Based High School Child Development Associate (CDA) Program The Buzzword literacy initiative Developmentally Appropriate Parenting (DAP) Resources Series Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center Diaper & Formula Banks Institute for Early Childhood Career Pathways Pediatric First Aid/CPR Facilitation and Instruction Home-Based Child Care Business Cohort Rapid Response Team
October 28, 2025 The Buzzword is RECIPE 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. Learn More This month’s Buzzword is RECIPE, which means a set of instructions for preparing something. Buzzword’s RECIPE 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 Empanadas for Everyone by Jackie Azua Kramer 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 RECIPE book list of recommendations from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for further reading. View the RECIPE Activity Book and book recommendations. 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.
May 26, 2025 The Buzzword is COUNT 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. Learn More This month’s Buzzword is COUNT, which means to name numbers in order. Buzzword’s COUNT 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 Gato Guapo by Anika Aldamuy Denise 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 COUNT book list of recommendations from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for further reading. View the COUNT Activity Book and book recommendations. 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.
April 16, 2025 The Buzzword is FRIENDSHIP 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. This month’s Buzzword is FRIENDSHIP, which means a state of mutual trust and support. Buzzword’s FRIENDSHIP 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 Eleven Words for Love by Randa Abdel-Fattah 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 FRIENDSHIP book list of recommendations from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for further reading. View the FRIENDSHIP Activity Book and book recommendations. 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.
February 3, 2025 The Buzzword Is USEFUL 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. This month’s Buzzword is USEFUL, which means to be used for a practical purpose. Buzzword’s USEFUL 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 Lou by Breanna Carzoo 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 USEFUL book list of recommendations from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for further reading. View the USEFUL Activity Book and book recommendations. 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.
December 11, 2024 The Buzzword is DIRECTION 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. This month’s Buzzword is DIRECTION, which means the path along which someone or something moves. Buzzword’s DIRECTION 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 Tap! Tap! Tap! by Hervet Tullet 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 DIRECTION book list of recommendations from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for further reading. View the DIRECTION Activity Book and book recommendations. 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.
November 13, 2024 GivingTuesday Donations Help Trying Together to Advocate and Increase Access to Early Childhood Programs With a donation to Trying Together on GivingTuesday, you are shaping the future and making a lasting impact by ensuring every child has access to high-quality care and education. By supporting the work of Trying Together, you will be joining with others who are passionate about advocating for the needs and rights of children and those who care for them. What is GivingTuesday? This year’s GivingTuesday will be on Dec. 3. It is a global day of giving that takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. GivingTuesday is meant to encourage people and organizations to donate their time and money to charitable causes. The day was created in 2012 by the United Nations Foundation and New York City’s 92nd Street Y. It is meant to balance the days focusing on retail shopping that take place before it – such as Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. How to Give Gifts to Trying Together will be accepted from Tuesday, Dec. 3 through Tuesday, Dec. 31. Donations made for GivingTuesday will also support Trying Together’s end-of-year giving goals. Donating to Trying Together on GivingTuesday is easy – simply complete the online donation form. Please consider setting up a recurring donation at an amount that works for you – whatever level you choose makes a difference. Recurring donations are a generous and easy way to sustain our mission. Monthly giving programs are cost-effective and eliminate the need for repeated solicitation efforts, reducing costs for the organization and our carbon footprint. Automatic recurring donations can be set up by credit card or electronic funds transfer. How Your Donation Helps When you donate to Trying Together, you are supporting a number of initiatives, including: The Buzzword literacy initiative Developmentally Appropriate Parenting (DAP) Resources Series Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center Diaper & Formula Banks Institute for Early Childhood Career Pathways Pediatric First Aid/CPR Facilitation and Instruction Home-Based Child Care Business Cohort Community-Based High School Child Development Associate (CDA) Program Rapid Response Team Month of the Young Child campaign To donate, visit Trying Together’s GivingTuesday donation page.
October 29, 2024 The Buzzword is GLIDE As part of Buzzword’s programming, we distribute our 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. This month’s Buzzword is GLIDE, which means the path along which someone or something moves. Our GLIDE 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 “Some Bugs” by Angela Diterrlizzi 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. We have also provided a GLIDE book list of recommendations from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for further reading. View the GLIDE Activity Book and book recommendations. More Information Buzzword will hold a family-friendly event from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 30. It will feature early literacy, science, art, and music activities. For more information, visit the event’s registration page. Want to learn more on how to get involved with Buzzword? Ask your local Allegheny County Family Center about the program, or email us at buzzword@tryingtogether.org.
August 20, 2024 Buzzword to Explore ENTERTAINMENT at Family-Friendly Event in September As part of Buzzword’s programming, we distribute our 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. Learn More This month’s Buzzword is ENTERTAINMENT, which means being provided with amusement or enjoyment. Our ENTERTAINMENT Activity Book will give children – ages birth to five – and their caregivers the opportunity to connect through science, art, music, and early literacy skills. Buzzword will explore its latest buzzword during a celebratory, music-focused, and family-friendly event on Wednesday, Sept. 4. The event will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Clairton Family Center, located at 734 Miller Ave. in Clairton. During the event, children and their caregivers will engage with each other to create meaningful moments through interactive activities provided by the Pittsburgh Festival Opera. Each family will take a BUZZ Box home with them and dinner will be provided. Registration is required to attend. More Information Be sure to check back soon for more information on the ENTERTAINMENT Activity Book and other Buzzword materials for September. Want to learn more on how to get involved with Buzzword? Ask your local Allegheny County Family Center about the program, or email us at buzzword@tryingtogether.org.
August 12, 2024 Buzzword: Family Entertainment Night Join Buzzword as we explore our latest buzzword, ENTERTAINMENT, during a celebratory music-focused, family-friendly event. Learn More During the event, children ages birth to 5 and their caregivers will engage with each other to create meaningful moments through interactive activities provided by the Pittsburgh Festival Opera. Buzzword is collaborating with the Clairton Family Center on the event. Each family will take a BUZZ Box home with them. Dinner will be provided. The event will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at the Clairton Family Center, located at 734 Miller Ave. in Clairton. Registration is required to attend – and can be completed online.
