December 6, 2023 The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center Explores Carnegie Science Center and Sportworks The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center gathered families together for a family field trip to Carnegie Science Center and Highmark Sportsworks on Sunday, November 19. Parents, caregivers, their children, and Hub & Family Center staff explored various exhibits and activities throughout the day at both northside Pittsburgh locations. From brick building to water activities to exploring a submarine, there was no shortage of excitement at the day long event. The family field trip was a great opportunity for families to spend quality time together while also learning and having fun. Tickets were provided to families with assistance from local organization and charity Tickets for Kids, and their donors. The generosity of Tickets for Kids made it possible for the Hub & Family Center to offer this memorable experience to our the Homewood community and its families. Tickets For Kids Tickets for Kids provides free access for low-income and at-risk kids to attend the arts, cultural, educational, and athletic venues of their community. Through partnerships with youth-serving organizations across the U.S., the organization strives to make trips to museums, concerts, ballgames, science centers, zoos, and more part of every childhood. Through access, Tickets for Kids provides experiences that can spark an interest, ignite a passion, and shape a future without limits. To learn more, visit the Tickets For Kids Charities website. Related Resources Drop-In Playtime at The Hub & Family Center Clothing Distribution at The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center Parent Advisory Committee | The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center Infant Formula Bank at Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center
August 28, 2023 Resources for September Observances Various organizations, states, and nations recognize a number of observances each month. Resources help parents, caregivers, and child care professionals acknowledge and navigate them. Here is a list of resources for September observances: Month-Long Observances Attendance Awareness Month Attendance Awareness Campaign 2023, Attendance Works Key Research: Why Attendance Matters for Achievement and How Interventions Can Help, Attendance Works Baby Safety Month (BSM) Organizations Publish New Child Safety and Development Resources for Families and Educators, Trying Together Safety and Emergencies: Family Resources, Trying Together Directory for Emergency and Safety Services, Trying Together Recalls on Children’s Products, Trying Together Baby Safety Month Safety Tips, Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) 5 Tips for New Parents During Baby Safety Month, SafeKids.org Childhood Cancer Awareness Month What is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month?, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Free Resources from the American Childhood Cancer Organization, American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) Are There Disparities in Childhood Cancer?, New York State Department of Health Childhood Cancers, NIH National Cancer Institute Facts About Childhood Cancer, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Participate in a 2023 September Childhood Cancer Awareness Event, Children’s Cancer Cause National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month Supporting Childhood Physical Health: A Guide for Families: The Importance of Exercise, Trying Together Parents and Caregivers Can Help Prevent Obesity and Support Healthy Growth, U.S. Department of Agriculture TOOLKIT: National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Preventing Childhood Obesity: 4 Things Families Can Do, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Help Your Child Stay at a Healthy Weight, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Newborn Screening Awareness Month Newborn Screening Portal, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) What is Newborn Screening?, Baby’s First Test Newborn Screening Tests for Your Baby, March of Dimes (MoD) About Newborn Screening, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Weeks of Recognition September 17 – 23 was Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week Car Seat Safety for Children, Trying Together Car Seats and Booster Seats Overview, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Safe Kids Worldwide Car Seat Guide Videos, Safe Kids Worldwide Boost Your Child Passenger Safety Knowledge and Skills Trainings, National Child Passenger Safety Board All Children are Pedestrians! Prevention Tips and Recent Statistics, Children’s Safety Network at Education Development Center Days of Recognition September 6 was National Read a Book Day Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Releases 2023 Best Books for Babies List, Trying Together Toolkit: Families and Schools Partnering for Children’s Literacy Success, Trying Together Children’s Books on Race and Equity, Trying Together Books to Celebrate Gender Expression, Inclusion, and Pride, Trying Together Children’s Books About Transitions, Trying Together Children’s Books About Mental Health, Trying Together September 26 was National Family Day Family Engagement Toolkit, Trying Together Family Guide: Family Dynamics, Trying Together Strategies to Support Social-Emotional Development: A Guide for Families, Trying Together Family Transitions and Routines: Resources, Trying Together Trying Together Releases Family Resources in Spanish, Trying Together Grandfamily Tip Sheets Provide Information on Self-Care and Youth Mental Health, Trying Together Navigating Sibling Relationships, Psychology Today Foster and Adoptive Families: Supportive Strategies, PennState Better Kid Care Blended Family and Step-Parenting Tips, HelpGuide.org Keeping in Touch With Family Can Help Keep You Healthy, WebMD.com Healthy Communication in Stepfamilies, National Stepfamily Resource Center (NRSC) Get to Know Your Stepkids, National Stepfamily Resource Center (NRSC)
August 7, 2023 Imagination Library Restarted by Foundations, City of Pittsburgh Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a free book access program, is restarting in the City of Pittsburgh thanks to funding from the City and local foundations, including The Benter Foundation and the Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation. The free program sends one book per month in the mail to enrolled children ages birth to five at no cost to families. How to Enroll Families who reside in the City of Pittsburgh can enroll in the program by visiting the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library website. Families who were previously enrolled in the program will not need to re-enroll and should start receiving books again automatically. About the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Restart The program halted at the end of April 2023 for most city children after funding had run out. (A small group of children in three zip codes were still eligible to participate.) Reading Ready Pittsburgh, a local nonprofit that supports access to books and encourages family engagement through reading, will administer the program at the beginning of the restart period. Related Content & Resources Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Summer Reading Extravaganza 2023 2023 Summer Reading Programs for Young Readers Hill District Conducting Survey on Parent Engagement in Child Literacy Restaurants Add Books to the Menu with Summer Reading Programs Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Releases 2023 Best Books for Babies List 2023 Virtual Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip LDA of PA Offering Free Reading Tutoring to Children in Hill District Toolkit: Families and Schools Partnering for Children’s Literacy Success
July 14, 2023 HDELI Wild Family Literacy Night Get ready for a “roaring” good time! Join Macedonia FACE and the Hill District Early Literacy Initiative (HDELI) for a jungle-themed Wild Family Literacy Night event for families! 🦁📚 The event will be filled with family-fun activities, snacks, crafts, games, and literacy learning opportunities. When: Tuesday, 7/25 | 5 – 7 p.m. Where: Center for Family Excellence, 409 Dinwiddle Street, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219 Registration required Register by email at HDELI@macedoniaface.org, or by phone at 412.281.2573. For questions, use the contact information above or visit the Macedonia FACE website.
July 11, 2023 The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Prevention Tactics Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have a lasting impact on a child’s life. Fortunately, agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide strategies and resources to help define ACEs and to help caregivers and child care providers prevent traumatic experiences as much as possible before they happen, identify children whom have experienced ACEs, and respond to these experiences using trauma-informed approaches. What are Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)? ACEs are traumatic events or circumstances that occur during childhood. These experiences can range from physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, household substance abuse, domestic violence, and parental separation or divorce, among others. Through research conducted by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente, it has been revealed that traumatic experiences have a tremendous impact on future violence victimization and perpetration, and lifelong health and opportunity. ACEs can vary depending on the child and environment in which the child grows and learns. Some experiences can be witnessed directly, such as experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect or witnessing violence in the home or community. These experiences can also include aspects of the child’s environment that take away from a child’s sense of safety, stability, and bonding. ACEs and associated social determinants of health, such as living in under-resourced or racially segregated neighborhoods, can cause toxic stress (extended or prolonged stress). Toxic stress from ACEs can negatively affect children’s brain development, immune systems, and stress-response systems. Recognizing and addressing ACEs is important for promoting individual and societal well-being. Creating safe and nurturing environments for children, ensuring access to quality healthcare and mental health services, and implementing trauma-informed approaches in various settings are vital steps in preventing and addressing ACEs. Risk Protective Factors Risk factors are defined as things that increase the likelihood of experiencing ACEs. Protective factors are defined as things that protect people and decrease the possibility of experiencing ACEs. Individual, family, and community factors can affect the likelihood of these experiences, but they may or may not be direct causes of ACEs. Because ACEs include many different types of experiences and traumatic events, there are many risk and protective factors that apply to the range of different ACEs. Learn more about Individual, Family, Community Risk and Protective Factors from the CDC. Prevention Strategies for Children CDC has developed a resource to help states and communities take advantage of the best available evidence to prevent ACEs. It features six strategies from the CDC Technical Packages to Prevent Violence. Strengthen Economic Supports to Families: Community organizations such as faith-based and youth-serving organizations can promote policies that support families facing financial problems or help parents balance work and family responsibilities, which reduce stress and allow parents to meet children’s basic needs. Promote Social Norms That Protect Against Violence and Adversity: Encourage community organizations such as youth-serving and faith-based organizations, coaches, and caregivers to promote non-violent attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Ensure a Strong Start for Children: Involved parents, strong preschool programs, and good quality childcare get children started on the right foot and help them succeed later in life. Youth-serving and faith-based organizations can contribute to this as well. Teach Healthy Relationship Skills: Children and caregivers can both learn how to create healthy relationships and manage their emotions. Connect Children to Caring Adults and Activities: Community organizations connect young people with positive role models and provide activities for young people to learn leadership and other new skills. Communities can help young people grow and succeed at school and in life, such as getting children involved in after-school activities. Intervene to Lessen Immediate and Long-Term Harms: When ACEs occur, community organizations, can offer services and support to reduce harms and help break the cycle of adversity, including providing therapy to reduce symptoms of depression, fear or anxiety, and behavior problems. By recognizing and addressing ACEs, parents and child care providers can create a bright future for children and promote resilience, healing, and well-being. Visit the CDC website for more information about childhood trauma prevention and ACEs Resources.
June 29, 2023 ELRC Region 5 Requesting Feedback on Evening Phone Hours The Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 is asking Allegheny County families and child care providers to complete a brief survey on evening phone hour offerings. ELRC Region 5 currently offers evening phone hours from 5 – 7 p.m. on Tuesdays. However, center leaders seek to find the best day and time to offer evening service to county families and child care providers. By completing the survey, respondents allow ELRC Region 5 to better serve the community. The survey is just five questions. All responses are confidential and will not be shared. Access and Take the Survey Access and take the survey on SurveyMonkey. Learn More To learn more, visit the ELRC Region 5 website or call 1.888.340.3572 or 412.350.3577 for assistance.
Kindergarten: Here I Come! Visit the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh for one of their milestone events for early childhood education with “Kindergarten: Here I Come!” The 17th annual kindergarten readiness celebration takes place on Saturday, August 12, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. At this event, children entering kindergarten in the fall can experience a day full of fun activities, resources and learning from Children’s Museum staff and our amazing partners from around the city. There will be back-to-school giveaways, resources for parents and caregivers, and even a real school bus! Kindergarten: Here I Come! is free for one rising kindergarten student and one accompanying adult. Reserve Your Tickets For questions or to learn more, visit the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh website.
June 28, 2023 Allegheny County Family Resource Map Highlights Supports for Locals Did you know the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 offers an interactive, online tool to help families navigate area programs and services? The Allegheny County Family Resource Map provides caregivers of young children and other residents in Allegheny County the opportunity to locate available supports closest to them. About the Allegheny County Family Resource Map Launched in 2020, the map highlights the addresses, phone numbers, and websites of a variety of family supports, including those on: aging care and education employment family activities food health housing new parents outdoors and recreation transportation, and wi-fi locations Through the map, families can find countywide resources and services closest to them, such as senior community centers, family centers, early learning programs, public schools, WIC offices, parks, libraries, food pantries, diaper banks, clinics, public housing, Port Authority bus stops, and more. Access the Map Access the map here or visit the ELRC Region 5 website. Learn More For questions or to submit a map suggestion, please contact ELRC Region 5 at 412.350.3577 or elrc5@alleghenycounty.us.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Summer Reading Extravaganza 2023 Find your voice and make it heard! Summer Reading 2023 is a celebration of self expression! Join Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Main on Sunday, August 13 from 12 – 5 p.m. at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Summer Reading Extravaganza, a family-friendly outdoor festival for all ages. Grab some friends and head to the Library in Oakland for music, crafts, games, activities, storytelling, food trucks and so much more! While you’re there, don’t forget to guess the total number of books Pittsburghers read this summer—there will be multiple opportunities to win prizes throughout the day with the final number revealed and grand prize awarded at the end of the event. Enjoy activities and experiences presented by Library partners: Allegheny Land Trust Andy Warhol Museum Bike PGH Colour of Song Juliandra Jones – PBJ Customs Macedonia FACE Mike the Balloon Guy Moonshot Museum Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring Program Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures Pittsburgh Community Services Inc. (PCSI) Pittsburgh Opera Pittsburgh Public Schools Pittsburgh Science Workshop Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra UniSound UPMC Satisfy your cravings with food and sweet treats for purchase from: Billu’s Indian Grill Kona Ice Mandu Handu Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream Don’t miss performances by: Gab Bonesso O’Ryan the O’Mazing To learn more, visit Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s website.
June 5, 2023 OCDEL Invites Families to Participate in Free Professional Photo Session The Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) Team at the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) invites pregnant and parenting families of children birth to age six to participate in a free professional photo session. Each participating family will receive a stipend of $150 and associated travel/mileage reimbursement for completing the approximately one-hour photoshoot. Families will also receive copies of their photos. About Photo Sessions Why is OCDEL providing this opportunity? Photos of Pennsylvania children and their families play an instrumental role in conveying the importance of high-quality maternal and early childhood services in Pennsylvania. Additionally, they aid in outreach to families, professionals, legislators, business leaders, and other partners throughout the state. By capturing photos of Pennsylvania families, OCDEL can better serve and advocate for them and the care of their children. How will OCDEL use the photos? OCDEL may use the photos for: advertising (i.e. television, online, billboard, and print) social media printed displays and materials, such as annual reports, PowerPoint presentations, etc. In using the photos, OCDEL will never share the names and locations of the families included in them. Who can participate in the photo sessions? All Pennsylvania families with children age six and younger are invited to participate, including those who reflect the diversity of Pennsylvania’s population. OCDEL would like to represent differences in identity such as: race ethnicity gender gender identity sexual orientation age disability geographic location across the Commonwealth Siblings and grandparents are welcome and highly encouraged to participate, too. Why should families participate? Each participating family will receive electronic access to the professionally produced photos of their family taken during the photo session. They will be able to: download and save the photos print them share them on their social media accounts (i.e. Facebook or Instagram) email them to family and friends Additionally, each participating family will receive a stipend of $150 for completing the approximately 1-hour photoshoot. Also, mileage reimbursement will be provided at a rate of 65.5 cents per mile. ECCS is also able to reimburse other modes of transportation utilized to get to the photo session location, such as public transportation, Uber, or Lyft with receipts. ECCS will also reimburse tolls with receipts. Where will photo sessions be held? The ECCS team will host photo sessions: June 27 in King of Prussia, Montgomery County July 17 in Cranberry Township, Butler County July 19 in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County July 25 in Harrisburg, Dauphin County How can families sign-up to participate? If you would like to participate, please complete the online registration form no later than June 15. There is no cost to participate with the ECCS photo session. However, space is limited and registration is required. Learn More To learn more, visit the Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children website. For questions, please contact Sadia Batool at c-sabatool@pa.gov.