August 13, 2020 Community Check-Up Every first Wednesday of the month, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in collaboration with the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will host an advanced practice provider and pediatrician see children and young adults ages birth–26 years old at The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center. Services provided are at no out-of-pocket cost. Available Services Services include: • Asthma and Allergy Care Check-Ups • Driver Permit Physicals • Hearing and Vision Screens • Immunizations and Flu Shots • Lead and Anemia Screenings • Mental Health Services and Resources • Needs-Based Resources • Sick Child Visits • Sports Physicals and Physical Exams • WIC Forms Schedule An Appointment Appointments occur on the first Wednesday of each month from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center. 7219 Kelly Street Pittsburgh, PA 15208 Please contact 412.310.7114 to schedule an appointment.
August 7, 2020 Brown Mamas Launches Mama Mentorship Initiative Are you interested in receiving advice, resource assistance, and emotional support from a mama mentor? Sign up to join Brown Mamas’ new Mama Mentorship program! About Motherhood can be tough, and it becomes even more challenging when you don’t have anyone to ask for advice, assist in resource acquisition, and lean on for mental and emotional support. That’s why Brown Mamas launched its Mama Mentorship Initiative. By galvanizing the collective knowledge in the Black mothering community, Brown Mamas will provide their moms with access to a group of mothering elders who have wisdom and experiences to share. Once per month, Brown Mamas will host virtual Mama Mentoring sessions for up to 15 mamas. They will work with experienced moms from the local community to mentor new and ‘in the thick of it’ mamas through their motherhood journey. The first Mama Mentorship cohort begins in August. Registration If you are interested in joining Brown Mamas’ Mama Mentorship program, visit their website to complete the online signup form. More Information This information was provided by Brown Mamas. For more information, visit the Brown Mamas website.
August 6, 2020 Brown Mamas Teach, Brown Mamas Earn Are you or your child interested in exploring topics such as photography, urban agriculture, mentoring, African American history, and more? Join Brown Mamas during the 2020-21 school year for their new program, Brown Mamas Teach, Brown Mamas Earn. About The mission of Brown Mamas’ family-centered learning project is to empower parents to confidently teach, support, and advocate for their children by utilizing the collective knowledge of Pittsburgh’s Black parenting community. This knowledge will guide participants in being effective and supportive members of their child’s learning team. This learning cooperative is intended for children ages five to 18 years old. Black parents and Black young people are encouraged to apply. Brown Mamas hopes to begin guided learning experiences in September 2020. Registration If you or your child is interested in participating, visit the Brown Mamas website to complete the online signup form. The form is available at the bottom of the page, below the Session Guide Recruitment Form. Become a Session Guide Brown Mamas is looking for parents, caregivers, young people, educators, and other Black community members to act as session guides in providing enrichment activities. If you are interested in becoming a session guide, visit the Brown Mamas website to complete the online signup form. More Information This information was provided by Brown Mamas. For more information, visit the Brown Mamas website.
July 7, 2020 CDA Community of Practice Are you an early educator who is interested in advancing your career? Join Trying Together starting July 14 for our six-week online course, “CDA Community of Practice.” About This online course is intended for individuals who have completed the necessary hours and requirements for a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. During this community of practice, participants will explore the current theory, research, and best practices related to early childhood. Participants will focus on the completion of portfolio requirements, as well as preparation for the CDA credential exam. This course will be hosted on Zoom. Participants will receive the Zoom link via email from the course instructor. For questions, contact Theresa Hetler at theresa@tryingtogether.org. Course Details Timeline: July 14 – August 18, 2020 (Six Weeks) Sessions will be held every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. Instructor: Theresa Hetler, Workforce Development Strategist Course Type: Online (Zoom Meetings) Registration Deadline: Friday, July 10 Registration To register for this course, contact Theresa Hetler at theresa@tryingtogether.org. Space is extremely limited. Registrations must be submitted no later than Friday, July 10. More Information For questions, contact Theresa Hetler at theresa@tryingtogether.org.
June 29, 2020 Coffee with the Community featuring Cara Ciminillo Are you interested in learning more about Trying Together’s mission and work? Join The Salon on Thursday, July 2 for their event “Coffee Conversation with Cara Ciminillo of Trying Together” to hear from Trying Together Executive Director Cara Ciminillo! About Coffee with the Community Coffee with the Community is The Salon‘s way to engage with leading community organizations, gain insight into their causes and the populations they are serving, and find ways to provide support to their efforts. For those attending the conversation, event hosts ask that you consider making a donation to the featured organization if you are able. To learn more, visit their website. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
June 19, 2020 Public Discussion: Services for Families in Allegheny County What does your community need? How can the Allegheny County Department of Human Services help meet those needs? You are invited to share your ideas and suggestions at a virtual Human Services Block Grant Public Meeting. All input will inform the 2020-21 Human Services Block Grant Plan. Available Sessions Monday, June 29, 2020 | 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, 2020 | 4:30 p.m. Join a Session There are three ways to participate in a virtual meeting: To hear the live audio, see the live video, and participate in the Q&A, join on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. You may be instructed to download an app called Microsoft Teams. If prompted to sign in, you may choose whether to do so or join anonymously. To hear the live audio only, call 267.368.7515. The access code for Monday’s meeting is 172 596 105# and the access code for Tuesday’s meeting is 746 312 327#. To watch the recordings at your convenience, visit the Allegheny County website. The recordings will be posted within 24 to 48 hours after the meetings. More Information Allegheny County DHS makes reasonable efforts to accommodate people with disabilities or limited-English-proficiency. Closed captioning in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic will be available when joining the meeting on a PC or Mac. For questions, comments, or ideas, contact DHS-Ideas@AlleghenyCounty.US.
June 4, 2020 Taking Personal and Professional Responsibility for Anti-Racism Work As caregivers, community members, and early childhood educators, we have a responsibility to ensure each child, family and caregiver is safe from racism and discrimination and has equitable opportunities to thrive. In order to do this, we must begin with ourselves. Set aside time in your day to do a personal inventory. What thoughts, feelings, and behaviors have you contributed to upholding systems of racism? What assumptions are you making? What actions or inactions have you taken that contribute to systems of oppression? Next, consider your family and your friends—what behaviors, statements, or jokes have gone unchecked? What actions or inactions have you taken within your interpersonal relationships that have contributed to an unsafe community for our black and brown children, neighbors and colleagues? How might you begin to lead by example within your own family or community? Anti-racism work is something that has to be attended to an ongoing way. In order to support you in this work, we have compiled a new webpage of resources to combat racism. Learn More with Upcoming Discussions June 5, 2020 at 8:30 p.m. | “I [STILL] can’t breathe”: Supporting kids of color amid racialized violence June 6, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. | CNN and ‘Sesame Street’ to host a town hall addressing racism June 9, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. | Virtual Parents Event: Talking to Children Authentically About Race and Racism June 10, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. | Race, Police, and Unarmed Civilian Deaths: What Can Be Done?
May 29, 2020 Guidance for Businesses in Counties Moving to Green Phase On May 29, 2020, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that a number of Pennsylvania counties will move to the “green phase” of the state’s Reopening Plan beginning June 5. On that date, all counties in the state will be in the “yellow” or “green” phases. This means that all child care programs within the state that can comply with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may reopen. Business Guidance In entering the green phase, all businesses must continue following CDC and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidance for social distancing and cleaning. Businesses are also encouraged to adhere to the following guidelines: Continued telework strongly encouraged Businesses with in-person operations must follow updated business and building safety requirements All businesses operating at 50% occupancy in the yellow phase may increase to 75% occupancy Child care may open complying with guidance Congregate care restrictions in place Prison and hospital restrictions determined by individual facilities Schools subject to CDC and Commonwealth guidance Counties in the Green Phase As of May 29, 2020, counties that are in the green phase are Bradford, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango, and Warren. On June 5, 2020, counties that will transition to the green phase are Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Clinton, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Lycoming, Mercer, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland. Governor Wolf warned that future COVID-19 outbreaks remain possible and if an outbreak occurs, counties might need to revert back to more restricted phases. Because of this, all community members and businesses should continue social distancing, practicing safe hygiene, and limiting contact with others as much as possible. If your county remains in the yellow phase, view a news post from Trying Together about business guidance. To learn more about what the red phase, yellow phase, and green phase entail, visit the Process to Reopen Pennsylvania page. Guidance for Child Care In the green phase, child care providers should continue to follow CDC and DHS guidance for social distancing and cleaning. Guidance for Child Care Programs that Remain Open (CDC) For more information, please contact the Department of Health at 1.877.724.3258. More Information To learn more about Pennsylvania counties moving into the green phase, read the full press release from Governor Wolf.
May 21, 2020 CARES Act To Fund Nearly 7,000 Child Care Centers In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Tom Wolf announced on May 20, 2020 that an initial distribution of $51 million of funding from the CARES Act will support child care providers in Pennsylvania. Distributed in partnership with the General Assembly, this initial funding will reach nearly 7,000 early learning programs. The governor asserted that a healthy child care system was essential as Pennsylvania reopens. Eligibility The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) determines eligibility and the amount of award based on provider type, Child Care Works (CCW) subsidy enrollment, and regional capacity. CARES Act funds will be distributed to eligible, certified child care providers through regional Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRCs) and will be available in June 2020. Additional actions are required for child care providers. Funding Information In total, PA received $106 million in funding that will be distributed in two waves. The first wave of $51 million will be distributed per the conditions outlined above, to help providers prepare to reopen as counties move to the yellow phase. The remaining funding will be allocated following the completion of a study assessing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Pennsylvania’s child care providers. Guidance for Child Care In the Yellow Phase, child care providers are permitted to reopen without a permit so long as they follow CDC and DHS guidance for social distancing and cleaning. Guidance for Child Care Programs that Remain Open (CDC) For more information, please contact the Department of Health at 1.877.724.3258. More Information For more information about Governor Wolf’s announcement, read the full press release. The attestation form and process for the CARES Act funds for child care providers can be found online.
