December 3, 2025 Trying Together Surpasses Fundraising Goals for Give Big Pittsburgh Thanks to the generous support of donors, Trying Together exceeded its fundraising goal for Give Big Pittsburgh, a 24-hour online fundraising effort held on GivingTuesday that was hosted by Pittsburgh Magazine and presented by GBU Life. The organization’s goal for the day was $5,000, but ultimately raised $7,180. Learn More The donation form will remain open until the end of the year, but individuals who want to make a year-end donation can do so on Trying Together’s website. Cara Ciminillo, Trying Together’s executive director, said that donations made on GivingTuesday will help to further the organization’s mission of ensuring that every child has quality early care and education. “Thank you to those who donated through Give Big Pittsburgh on GivingTuesday,” she said. “Every gift, whether big or small, fuels this work. And every dollar moves our community closer to the care system children deserve. I’m incredibly fortunate to lead an organization filled with people who show up every day for children, families, and early educators across Southwestern Pennsylvania. We believe in a future where every child has access to affordable, high-quality care and education – and where the educators who make that possible are valued, supported, and fairly compensated.” Double Your Donation Donors can double their donation if their employer has a matching gift program. Once an individual makes a donation, they will be prompted to check for matching gift opportunities. They will be prompted to enter their employer’s name and the Double the Donation database will identify whether the employer has a matching gift program and determine if the donor was eligible. If eligible, the donor is guided through the process of submitting a matching gift request to their employer. How Donations Help Individuals who donate to Trying Together are helping to support a number of initiatives, including: Community-Based High School Child Development (CDA) Program Buzzword literacy initiative Rapid Response Team 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 To learn of other giving opportunities, visit Trying Together’s Give Now page.
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 27, 2025 Rapid Response Team to Continue Offering Services in Allegheny County Trying Together and ELRC Region 5’s Rapid Response Team will continue to offer services for Allegheny County families and providers, despite the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) announcing earlier this month that it would no longer be able to support the initiative in the same capacity due to changes in federal funding. Learn More Deysi Keegan, the Rapid Response Team’s assistant director, said that the changes at the state and federal level would not prevent the team from performing its work. “The Rapid Response Team is dedicated to continuing this vital work – supporting children, families, and educators through timely, compassionate, and collaborative interventions,” she said. “Our goal is to build understanding, strengthen relationships, and promote environments where every child feels seen, supported, and capable of success.” The Rapid Response Team is a short-term service that provides hands-on coaching for educators and resources for families and caregivers to prevent the expulsion or suspension of children in early childhood education. It serves children from birth to age 5 as well as their teachers and families or caregivers. The team utilizes principles of early relational health and social-emotional development of young children as well as building the capacities of adults to utilize positive approaches to address behavioral challenges and family engagement and relationships. The team contacts the provider or family within 48 hours once a referral is made. If a child is in immediate danger or suspension or expulsion, the team will take part in a meeting or virtual observation. If a child has already been suspended, the team will provide the child’s family and child care with resources. “When children are experiencing big behaviors, they are communicating important needs, emotions, or challenges that they may not yet have the words to express,” Keegan said. “It is essential that the adults in their lives take the time to listen, observe, and understand what those behaviors are telling us. By responding with empathy and curiosity instead of judgment, we can create the safety and connection children need to thrive.” In a statement, OCDEL said that it was “deeply grateful for the impactful work and success of the Rapid Response Teams.” “Unfortunately, due to changes in federal funding, OCDEL will no longer be able to support the RRT initiative in the same capacity,” the statement read. “OCDEL knows this has been a great support to the early childhood education field, and is considering opportunities to continue this sort of work in new and meaningful ways.” Caregivers of children whom the Rapid Response Team has assisted praised its approach. “My family and I worked with the Rapid Response Team to support my son and his preschool program,” said the mother of a student whom the team helped. “I really appreciated the approach that the Rapid Response Team had with the situation and the way they partnered well with the child care center. I liked that we worked together as a team to create a plan that stayed consistent between home and my son’s classroom. This type of resource is invaluable for families and early learning programs to support the growth and development of children.”
May 13, 2025 Rapid Response Team Provides Educator Coaching, Resources for Children in Danger of Expulsion Trying Together and Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5’s Rapid Response Team provides hands-on coaching for educators and resources for families and caregivers to prevent the expulsion or suspension of children in early childhood education. The team utilizes principles of early relational health and social-emotional development of young children as well as building the capacities of adults to utilize positive approaches to address behavioral challenges and family engagement and relationships. Learn More The Rapid Response Team is a short-term service to support early childhood education programs, serving children from birth to age 5 as well as their teachers and families or caregivers. The Rapid Response Team provides hand-on support through use of the pyramid model that is broken down into three tiers. Tier one is based on the use of an effective workforce practice including classroom environment and social emotional learning. The other two tiers involve more comprehensive support, especially for children who have needs beyond what is provided by the first tier – such as specific therapies or referrals to outside agencies for evaluation. While a child’s behavior may be challenging to adults, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they have a developmental or intellectual disability or that a mental health diagnosis is necessary. The team participates in classroom observation to help an educator implement tier-one supports before looking into more intensive ones. It also coaches teachers, supports families with resources, and collaborates as a team with child care centers or any outside resource such as outpatient therapy or functional behavior assessments. The Rapid Response Team, which contracts with board-certified behavior analysts, currently has one position open and recently added Kelly Palko as its intervention coordinator. Deysi Keegan, the team’s assistant director, said the initiative helps both students and adults. “I think it helps the children stay in their centers,” she said. “That helps them be able to thrive and continue to learn. Obviously, in turn, that helps their families. It’s about being able to help families and centers to get the support they need for children. It also provides teachers with new skill sets, helping them to work on relationships between children and their families and providing confidence to follow through on strategies they’re coached on.” How the Team Works The team contacts the provider or family within 48 hours once a referral is made. If the child is in immediate danger of suspension or expulsion, the team will take part in a meeting or virtual observation, depending on scheduling availability. If a child has already been suspended, the team will not go into the child’s classroom, but will provide the child’s family and childcare with resources. Reports can be made by a child’s family members or child care providers through an intake form. Individual child referrals not made by a parent or legal guardian must use a Rapid Response Release, which can be sent to rapidresponse@tryingtogether.org. To obtain the team’s services, parents must have children between the ages of birth and 5 years. The team occasionally receives requests for school-age children and, in those cases, provides some resources. Keegan said students are often expelled or suspended unnecessarily and it is part of the Rapid Response Team’s job to work with teachers, directors, and families to avoid it from happening. “There are occasions – and it’s the whole point of us stepping in – when students can be singled out due to a disability, race, or family culture or dynamics, and in that case it’s up to us to disrupt that by helping the child care program think outside of the box,” she said. Helping Children Flourish Keegan said the team has seen its share of success working with families and educators. She cited a recent example of a child who was expelled, but whom the team helped to get early intervention services. The child has now been placed in another child care program and, according to Keegan, is “thriving.” “We helped his teacher to understand some of his big emotions,” she said. “I’m so excited for him – he’s doing great.” Keegan said the Rapid Response Team provides coaching for educators in the least restrictive environment and resources for families to ensure that children are in an environment in which they can flourish. “I think it’s important for us as the Rapid Response Team to build relationships with early childhood educators and our community,” she said. “I think it’s important to connect families to the appropriate resources, so children feel safe and secure in their environment and that teachers have the tools they need to meet diverse needs.”
March 20, 2024 Trying Together Receives Rapid Response Team Grant Trying Together was one of 18 early childhood organizations to receive state mini-grants for $200,000 in November. Learn More The Pennsylvania Key, on behalf of the state’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), awarded the Rapid Response Team grants to begin a six-month planning with six months implementation or a one-year grant implementation starting in January. The grant will support an approach that has emerged in several Pennsylvania communities to provide a Rapid Response Team to support a child, family, and educator when a child is at risk of being suspended or expelled. Trying Together will use the OCDEL grant to expand the services currently provided by the existing Rapid Response Team in Allegheny County. Funding from the grant will be used to hire additional staff to respond within 24 hours of a referral; to provide program- and classroom-wide support such as mentoring and coaching, technical assistance, and professional development; and to increase the number of functional behavior assessments based on the needs of the child. ELRC Region 5’s Rapid Response Team will continue to refer families and educators to additional services such as Early Intervention and Infant Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH). Early Learning Connections in Butler received the grant in ELRC Region 3 and Engage Kidz LLC in Murrysville received the grant in ELRC Region 4. About Rapid Response Rapid Response Teams enhance the system of support available within the state’s early childhood system. The teams include behavioral health professionals, Early Intervention professionals and ELRC staff. The program is a piloted, short-term triaging support to enhance the early childhood system of support in each ELRC region in the state, which also include quality coaching, IECMH and School-Age Child Care, focused mental health consultation, Early Intervention services and supports, and home visiting. To learn more about Rapid Response Team implementation mini-grants, visit the PA Keys website.
January 20, 2022 Registration Open for UnConference: Creating a Safe Place with Trauma-Informed Care Registration is now open for Trying Together’s “UnConference: Creating a Safe Place with Trauma-Informed Care,” which will be held February 8 to February 18, 2022. Between February 8-18, expert-led virtual workshops will share content related to trauma-informed care. We begin the UnConference with keynote speaker Dr. Veirdre Jackson and dive into how we can create an environment of healing through equity and trust. Following the keynote, workshop sessions include how to identify family stressors, how to provide responsive care-giving for children experiencing trauma, and an overview of the recently launched Rapid Response Team from Trying Together. Registration is now open and specific workshop dates and times will be added. For a flat fee of $25, you may attend as many sessions (keynote or workshops) as you like. Sessions will also be recorded for viewing after the UnConference has completed. You must register for the UnConference in order to access session recordings. PNC Grow Up Great is the series sponsor. Featured Sessions Keynote: Co-Creating A Healing Community of Equity & Trust Tuesday, February 8, 2022 | 6:30 – 8 p.m. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Veirdre Jackson, Living Strong Consulting Communities, however defined, are made up of people who bring a range of experiences and histories. Remaining open, curious, and culturally humble is essential to understanding a community’s resilience, strength, and wisdom. Claudia Woody says, “Inclusion means not ‘just we’re allowed to be there,’ but we are valued there.” Participants will explore the 5 Blocks of Building Restorative Relationships that allow caregivers to create holistic and supportive spaces that are responsive to historical trauma and equity literacy which holds us accountable to doing the work of learning together, seeking understanding, and creating a safe, valued, and heard community. Rapid Response Team: Reducing Expulsions and Suspensions in Early Childhood Education Thursday, February 10, 2022 | 6:30 – 8 p.m. Presented by: Alicia Sebastian, Trying Together This session will discuss the ongoing and growing issue surrounding expulsion and suspension in early childhood education that have been linked to staff implicit bias, challenging behaviors, and staffing issues. The presentation will guide parents, caregivers, directors and staff working with children ages 0-5 on how to prevent expulsion and suspension in early childhood education. The session will discuss ways to implement evidence-based strategies to promote positive behavior support, self-regulation, and positive mental health. We will share community resources and programs for children and families in Allegheny County. Self-Care Isn’t Selfish, It’s Necessary: Practical Tools for Early Childhood Educators to Reduce Stress and Avoid Burn-Out Monday, February 14, 2022 | 12:30 – 2 p.m. Presented by: Tracy Larson, Director, Early Childhood Partnerships, Office of Child Development In this session, participants will learn why self-care is necessary, how to recognize when they need to be more intentional about self-care, and research informed strategies and activities to reduce stress and avoid burn-out. At the end of the session, participants will create a personalized self-care plan. Talking to Listen: Exploring Family Stressors and Creating Positive Relationships to Support Families Tuesday, February 15, 2022 | 6:30 – 8 p.m. Presented by: Patrick M. McKelvey, MS, NCC, National Youth Advocate Program Inc. Children react differently to stress and trauma, which can sometimes exhibit itself as challenging behaviors in the classroom. This workshop helps educators understand the impact that family stressors (such as a death, food insecurity, changes in placement, community violence, etc.) can have on both children and their caregivers. Participants will learn how to notice these family stressors; how to communicate with caregivers to build relationships that provide a supportive environment for young children; and self-regulation strategies to manage strong emotions when having difficult conversations with caregivers. Teaching Children Through a Trauma Lens Thursday February 17, 2022 | 6:30 – 8 p.m. Presenters: Amanda Harrison, MA, LPC, NCC, Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant with the PA Keys Research continues to show the detrimental effects that complex trauma has on the developing brain with our most vulnerable population. Over time, these young children are at risk for developmental delays, limited positive relationships, and a host of other difficulties. Our early education classrooms can create safe, responsive, and equitable environments to assist in reducing these harmful effects. This presentation will identify different types of trauma, how young children with trauma may present in the classroom, and supportive strategies teachers can implement to foster environments that encourage healing. Registration Registration for the UnConference: Creating a Safe Place with Trauma-Informed Care can be found on our UnConference page. For a flat fee of $25, you may attend as many sessions (keynote or workshops) as you like. Sessions will also be recorded for viewing after the UnConference has completed. You must register for the UnConference in order to access session recordings. Participants will receive PQAS and/or Act 48 hours. More Information For questions about the UnConference, contact Yu-Ling Cheng at conference@tryingtogether.org. For additional information, including FAQs, visit our UnConference page.
