June 12, 2023 Restaurants Add Books to the Menu with Summer Reading Programs Millie’s Ice Cream and Pizza Hut are sponsoring summer reading programs to keep children engaged and learning while school is out and to inspire a love of literature by rewarding reading. Millie’s Sweet Reads Summer Reading Program serves K-12 students, while Pizza Hut’s Camp BOOK IT serves Pre-k-6th grade students (ages 4-12), rewarding each with treats from their menus. About Millie’s Sweet Reads Summer Reading Program Sweet Reads is a summer reading program for K-12 students that began in 2021 as a partnership between Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream, the Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA), and White Whale Bookstore. The program aims to support local bookstores and libraries while also serving children. How does it work? Participating in Millie’s Sweet Reads Summer Reading Program is easy. Simply: Obtain a physical bookmark at any Millie’s location or select libraries across the county or print a digital copy from the Millie’s website. Have your child read five books (or read the books to them). Any book or periodical will do. Validate the bookmark at your local library. Please note: the library does not have to be a participating Sweet Reads library. Just ask your favorite librarian to sign the dotted line. Bring your validated bookmark to one of eight eligible Millie’s locations for a free scoop of your child’s choice. Find a list of participating libraries and eligible Millie’s locations on the Millie’s Ice Cream website. When will bookmarks be available? Physical bookmarks will be available at any participating library or Millie’s Ice Cream location during operating hours, all summer long. Digital bookmarks can be printed at any time. Which Millie’s locations will redeem my free scoop? You can redeem your free scoop at any of the eight Millie’s brick and mortar shops. Free scoops are not redeemable at the Kennywood location or at any other Millie’s third-party licensed location or seasonal kiosk. When does the program end? The program expires Monday, September 4, 2023, so be sure to visit a Millie’s and redeem your child’s free scoop before then! Can I redeem more than one time? Millie’s asks that you only redeem one free scoop per summer, but encourages your children to read as many books as they like. The Sweet Reads redemption model operates on the honor system. What if my child can’t eat ice cream or dairy-free gelato? What if I can’t get to a Millie’s? You may redeem your bookmark for a free sticker in the store or via snail mail. Just email hello@millieshomemade.com and Millie’s will be sure to mail you one. About Pizza Hut’s Camp BOOK IT! Since 1984, the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Program has been dedicated to encouraging reading nationwide. Camp BOOK IT! is open to all families with Pre-k – 6th grade students (ages 4-12). The goal of the program is to get children excited about reading and to turn “have to read” into “want to read.” How does it work? To participate in Camp BOOK IT!, parents utilize a digital dashboard to set goals, track reading, and reward their students. Interested in involving your child in Camp BOOK IT!? Simply: Enroll your child on the BOOK IT! website. Please note: Only one enrollment per household (for up to five children) will be accepted. Duplicate enrollments will be voided. If a change needs to be made to your enrollment after you have submitted, for example you have moved, please call 800.426.6548. Have your child read books, magazines, eBooks, and anything else fun. Enter your child’s reading progress in Pizza Hut’s digital dashboard for June, July, and August. When your child meets their goal, move the slider all the way over to receive their certificate for a Personal Pan Pizza in your email. Use the serialized code on your child’s certificate to redeem! You’ll find more instructions about how to redeem on the certificate. When does the program run? Camp BOOK IT! runs from June to August. You can enroll your child at any time during these months. How many reading certificates can my child earn through Camp BOOK IT? BOOK IT! is a monthly rewards program, so students may earn and/or redeem one Reading Award Certificate per month. How do I redeem my child’s reading certificates? Once you receive their certificate in your email, take the printed or digital certificate to a Pizza Hut near you or use the redemption code to order online. The certificate must be used to reward the student who earned it. How long do I have to redeem my child’s reading certificates? The summer reading certificates for June, July and August all expire on September 15. Learn More To learn more, visit the Millie’s Ice Cream and Camp BOOK IT! websites.
July 17, 2020 Antiracist Dialogues for Action: Antiracist Out-of-School Time Programs Are you interested in learning, sharing knowledge, and working together with fellow changemakers to dismantle racism and injustice? Join ELIE Circle on August 12 for “Antiracist Dialogues for Action: Antiracist Out-of-School Time Programs.” About On August 12, ELIE Circle will hold the second virtual meeting of the Antiracist Dialogues for Action – convenings for out-of-school time educators (e.g., afterschool staff, librarians, teaching artists, researchers) to learn, share knowledge, and work together to dismantle racism and injustice. The dialogues consist of the following: a 30-minute presentation providing context, research, and historical perspectives on main dialogue topics; a 45-minute small group dialogue on a related subtopic for participants to a) share collective knowledge and b) work with other educators to determine goals and next steps; and a 15-minute closing and larger group share out. All dialogues are designed for educators which includes those that are working directly with young people in any capacity and those at out-of-school-time organizations without direct contact. These dialogues are categorized in two categories: Educators and Youth Work. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
June 16, 2020 Allegheny Child Care Tool Expands Services Are you interested in learning about child care, after-school, out-of-school, and summer programs in Allegheny County? Visit the Allegheny Child Care website to search for available child care spots at programs near you! What is Allegheny Child Care? Allegheny Child Care is a unique pilot project that has been developed to support the child care needs of families. Through this online tool, parents and caregivers can search for available child care spots at all Allegheny County early learning programs, including after-school, out-of-school, and summer camps. To search for a program near you, visit the Allegheny Child Care website! Information for Early Learning Professionals If your organization provides child care, after-school, out-of-school, and/or summer programming, update your listing as soon as possible on the Allegheny Child Care website. By updating your information, the Allegheny Child Care tool will assist you in promoting and marketing your program(s) to families. In turn, this will allow your program to expedite the process of getting children enrolled, thus making an often stressful task less burdensome for families. For questions or concerns, please read the FAQ guide or email info@alleghenychildcare.org. Additional Resources Trying Together developed the following resources to assist families in identifying high-quality early learning programs, as well as what questions to ask to better understand their program’s COVID-19 procedures. How to Find, Choose, and Pay for High-Quality Child Care: A Guide for Families Family Checklist: Questions to Ask Your Early Learning Provider During COVID-19 For additional support in finding child care and/or funding your child care needs, visit the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 website or call 412.350.3577. More Information The Allegheny Child Care initiative is managed by Trying Together in partnership with the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, and Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST, an initiative of the United Way of Southwestern PA); with additional support from the City of Pittsburgh; and was developed in collaboration with Child Care Aware of America, The Heinz Endowments, and technology partners Bowtie, BrightHive, and BridgeCare. To learn more and search for programs near you, visit the Allegheny Child Care website.
June 12, 2020 Allegheny Child Care is Growing As of this week, we are excited to announce that we have expanded the Allegheny Child Care search tool to include: after-school; out-of-school; and summer programs! If you provide one or more of these services and have not already confirmed your information, we ask that you update your listing as soon as possible at providers.alleghenychildcare.org. Promote Your Out of School & Summer Programs Now If your program re-opened as part of Allegheny County’s move to the “green phase” last week, we hope that your first week back has been a welcomed return for you and your children, families, and staff. By updating your information, the Allegheny Child Care tool will assist you in promoting and marketing your program(s) to families. In turn, this will allow you to expedite the process for getting children enrolled, thus making an often stressful task less burdensome for families especially at this time. If you have any questions or issues please: email us at info@alleghenychildcare.org; review our FAQ guide; or join us for our next Virtual Director Roundtable discussion on Tuesday, June 16 at 6:00 p.m. when we will share details on the recent updates to the Allegheny Child Care tool and answer questions. Thank you for your assistance. Updating Your Information In order to add the after-school, out-of-school, and summer-time programs to the platform, we pulled public data currently available from our partners at Allegheny Partners for Out of School Time (APOST) and United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania. As information may have changed due to COVID-19, we would appreciate you taking a few minutes to review the information listed for your program(s) on the platform and then updating it accordingly at providers.alleghenychildcare.org. In particular, please update your: current operational status (open/closed and availability); age group(s) served; and basic profile information. You will receive regular email reminders to update your vacancy information so parents searching for care can find your program. More Information From the COVID-19 crisis, Allegheny Child Care is a unique pilot project that has been developed to support the child care needs of families. Caregivers and parents of young children can now search available child care spots at Allegheny County early learning programs in real-time with the Allegheny Child Care tool.
February 20, 2020 PENN SACCA Info and Networking Session Join the Pennsylvania School-Age Child Care Alliance (PENN SACCA) on March 5 for a morning of networking, an overview of PENN SACCA, and a brief session on quick tips for incorporating STEM activities into school-age programming. This will be a great opportunity to connect with your peers and share new ideas about the field. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. About PENN SACCA Since 1993, PENN SACCA has been providing out-of-school-time professionals with information, training, and resources to assist in the delivery of quality programs for school-age children during out-of-school hours. They believe that Out-of-School-Time is an important pillar in youth development in Pennsylvania and that Pennsylvania School-Age Professionals should be recognized, valued, respected and appreciated. Registration To register and learn more, visit the Eventbrite page.
May 20, 2019 Allegheny County Children’s Fund Community Meeting Spanish-speaking community members are invited to join the Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group on June 18 at the YWCA Building in Downtown Pittsburgh to share their views on what works best and what additional support is needed when it comes to early learning and out-of-school time. About Allegheny County’s goal is to make sure that every child can benefit from quality early learning and out-of-school time. A series of six Community Meetings are being held across the County to learn from families, caregivers, and educators what access to quality early learning and out-of-school time looks like today—from your perspective and in your community. Each meeting will include child care, refreshments, and opportunities for community members to voice their input on how Allegheny County can be a leader for kids moving forward. Community Meeting Dates The Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group and community members will convene on the following dates: City Meeting – May 30 | 6:30 p.m. | Jeron X Grayson Center, Hill District West Meeting – June 3 | 6:30 p.m. | The Landing Community Center, Moon Township South Meeting – June 4 | 6:30 p.m. | Bethel Park Community Center North Meeting – June 5 | 6:00 p.m. | Shaler North Hills Library East Meeting – June 12 | 6:30 p.m. | Founders Hall Middle School, McKeesport Spanish-Language Meeting – June 18 | 6:30 p.m. | YWCA Building, Downtown Pittsburgh Registration & Questions Visit the Community Meeting website to learn more, RSVP, or contact event organizers.
Allegheny County Children’s Fund Community Meeting Join the Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group on June 12 at Founders Hall Middle School in McKeesport to share your views on what works best and what additional support is needed when it comes to early learning and out-of-school time. About Allegheny County’s goal is to make sure that every child can benefit from quality early learning and out-of-school time. A series of six Community Meetings are being held across the County to learn from families, caregivers, and educators what access to quality early learning and out-of-school time looks like today—from your perspective and in your community. Each meeting will include child care, refreshments, and opportunities for community members to voice their input on how Allegheny County can be a leader for kids moving forward. Community Meeting Dates The Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group and community members will convene on the following dates: City Meeting – May 30 | 6:30 p.m. | Jeron X Grayson Center, Hill District West Meeting – June 3 | 6:30 p.m. | The Landing Community Center, Moon Township South Meeting – June 4 | 6:30 p.m. | Bethel Park Community Center North Meeting – June 5 | 6:00 p.m. | Shaler North Hills Library East Meeting – June 12 | 6:30 p.m. | Founders Hall Middle School, McKeesport Spanish-Language Meeting – June 18 | 6:30 p.m. | YWCA Building, Downtown Pittsburgh Registration & Questions Visit the Community Meeting website to learn more, RSVP, or contact event organizers.
Allegheny County Children’s Fund Community Meeting Join the Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group on June 5 at the Shaler North Hills Library to share your views on what works best and what additional support is needed when it comes to early learning and out-of-school time. About Allegheny County’s goal is to make sure that every child can benefit from quality early learning and out-of-school time. A series of six Community Meetings are being held across the County to learn from families, caregivers, and educators what access to quality early learning and out-of-school time looks like today—from your perspective and in your community. Each meeting will include child care, refreshments, and opportunities for community members to voice their input on how Allegheny County can be a leader for kids moving forward. Community Meeting Dates The Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group and community members will convene on the following dates: City Meeting – May 30 | 6:30 p.m. | Jeron X Grayson Center, Hill District West Meeting – June 3 | 6:30 p.m. | The Landing Community Center, Moon Township South Meeting – June 4 | 6:30 p.m. | Bethel Park Community Center North Meeting – June 5 | 6:00 p.m. | Shaler North Hills Library East Meeting – June 12 | 6:30 p.m. | Founders Hall Middle School, McKeesport Spanish-Language Meeting – June 18 | 6:30 p.m. | YWCA Building, Downtown Pittsburgh Registration & Questions Visit the Community Meeting website to learn more, RSVP, or contact event organizers.
Allegheny County Children’s Fund Community Meeting Join the Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group on June 4 at the Bethel Park Community Center to share your views on what works best and what additional support is needed when it comes to early learning and out-of-school time. About Allegheny County’s goal is to make sure that every child can benefit from quality early learning and out-of-school time. A series of six Community Meetings are being held across the County to learn from families, caregivers, and educators what access to quality early learning and out-of-school time looks like today—from your perspective and in your community. Each meeting will include child care, refreshments, and opportunities for community members to voice their input on how Allegheny County can be a leader for kids moving forward. Community Meeting Dates The Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group and community members will convene on the following dates: City Meeting – May 30 | 6:30 p.m. | Jeron X Grayson Center, Hill District West Meeting – June 3 | 6:30 p.m. | The Landing Community Center, Moon Township South Meeting – June 4 | 6:30 p.m. | Bethel Park Community Center North Meeting – June 5 | 6:00 p.m. | Shaler North Hills Library East Meeting – June 12 | 6:30 p.m. | Founders Hall Middle School, McKeesport Spanish-Language Meeting – June 18 | 6:30 p.m. | YWCA Building, Downtown Pittsburgh Registration & Questions Visit the Community Meeting website to learn more, RSVP, or contact event organizers.
Allegheny County Children’s Fund Community Meeting Join the Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group on June 3 at The Landing Community Center in Moon Township to share your views on what works best and what additional support is needed when it comes to early learning and out-of-school time. About Allegheny County’s goal is to make sure that every child can benefit from quality early learning and out-of-school time. A series of six Community Meetings are being held across the County to learn from families, caregivers, and educators what access to quality early learning and out-of-school time looks like today—from your perspective and in your community. Each meeting will include child care, refreshments, and opportunities for community members to voice their input on how Allegheny County can be a leader for kids moving forward. Community Meeting Dates The Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group and community members will convene on the following dates: City Meeting – May 30 | 6:30 p.m. | Jeron X Grayson Center, Hill District West Meeting – June 3 | 6:30 p.m. | The Landing Community Center, Moon Township South Meeting – June 4 | 6:30 p.m. | Bethel Park Community Center North Meeting – June 5 | 6:00 p.m. | Shaler North Hills Library East Meeting – June 12 | 6:30 p.m. | Founders Hall Middle School, McKeesport Spanish-Language Meeting – June 18 | 6:30 p.m. | YWCA Building, Downtown Pittsburgh Registration & Questions Visit the Community Meeting website to learn more, RSVP, or contact event organizers.
