News

March 11, 2026

UnConference: Out-of-School Time

Trying Together, in partnership with APOST and Allegheny County DHS, will host UnConference: Out of School Time on Thursday, June 11 at the Boys & Girls Club of Western PA’s Estelle S. Campbell Clubhouse.

The UnConference will begin with a keynote presentation by Twanda Clark-Edgal, a learning strategist for LIGHT Social Change Agents LLC, and will be followed by morning and afternoon sessions. A light breakfast with coffee and tea and a boxed lunch will be provided as part of the registration fee.

There will also be an add-on option for those interested in taking part in a First Aid/CPR training on June 10 (with an additional fee).

A total of 4.5 PQAS and Act 48 credit hours are available for attendees.

Free parking will be available in the Teamster’s temple parking lot across the street from the Boys & Girls Club and metered parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Registration must be completed by June 1. Please have the following information ready before registering you or your group: name/email, dietary needs, accessibility requests, and session preferences.

Registration is now open for the UnConference. See more details and workshop information.

Details

UnConference: Out of School Time

Thursday, June 11
8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Boys & Girls Club of Western PA’s Estelle S. Campbell Clubhouse
$25

Add-On: First Aid/CPR Training + UnConference: Out of School Time

First Aid/CPR Training: Wednesday, June 10 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
UnConference: Thursday, June 11 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Boys & Girls Club of Western PA
$60

News

Trying Together Names Latrobe Kinder-Schull Site Director as Advocate of the Month

Trying Together has selected Erin Schellenberger, site director of Latrobe Kinder-Schull, as its advocate of the month for March.

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Schellenberger is a long-time early childhood education champion who has 15 years of teaching experience and two years as a site director. She has been actively involved with Trying Together’s SWPA ECE Leadership Council, demonstrating her commitment to growing as a leader and early childhood education advocate.

“She continues to seek opportunities to make meaningful connections and learn new ways to strengthen her advocacy for the field,” according to a statement from Trying Together’s Policy Team regarding Schellenberger’s selection as advocate of the month. “We deeply appreciate our partnership with Erin and how she consistently shows up as a voice for children, families, and educators. We consider her one of our strongest ECE champions and look forward to her continued engagement in leadership opportunities.”

Schellenberger, who is involved in the SWPA ECE Leadership Council, said that ECE advocacy has long been important to her.

“Advocacy in early childhood education means being a voice for young children who cannot always speak for themselves,” she said. “It is about standing up for their needs, supporting families, and ensuring that every child feels safe, valued, and understood.”

She added that advocacy also involves collaborating with colleagues, community partners, and policymakers to create learning environments and policies that honor each child’s background and provide them with the strongest possible start in life.

Schellenberger started her work with the Leadership Team following a recommendation from her organization’s executive director, Eva Wood. Through the role, she has traveled to Harrisburg to meet with legislators and advocates for issues affecting early childhood education.

“I am encouraged that our state has begun to recognize the child care crisis and has included child care employees in the state budget,” she said. “While this is an important first step, there is still significant work to be done to recruit and retain qualified early childhood professionals. Sustainable investment and continued policy reform are essential to strengthening the field.”

Schellenberger said she remains committed to using her voice to influence state policy, promoting access to high-quality learning and protecting the rights of children, families, and educators.

“Advocacy is not a one-time effort, but an ongoing responsibility, and I will continue to encourage those around me to speak up and take action in support of our profession and the children we serve,” she said.

News

March 4, 2026

Disability and Mental Health Summit

Trying Together will present a session at the 13th Annual Disability and Mental Health Summit on Thursday, May 7 and have a table at its resource fair.

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The summit will be co-hosted by state Reps. Jessica Benham (D-36th District) and Emily Kinkead (D-20th District) at the CCAC – Allegheny Campus, located at 818 Ridge Avenue.

Trying Together will host one of the sessions at the summit and set up a table during its resource fair.

The summit is a free event that brings hundreds of people and participating organizations together to share information on a wide variety of topics in the disability and mental health arena. Its aim is to bring resources and experts out of their office and into a single, easy-to-access environment in which people can meet face-to-face to better solve problems and enhance futures.

This year will have a larger resource fair, more free information sessions than last year, and a greater partnership with schools that will bring even more transition-aged young adults to the event to help them figure out their next steps.

Registration is open. The full schedule for the summit is available on its website.

News

February 25, 2026

Collaborating for Inclusive Practices in Early Childhood: Focus on Attitudes and Beliefs

Attitudes and beliefs shape actions, and societal attitudes shape service systems. Participants in this workshop will have opportunities to explore the benefits of inclusion for all children and all adults, reflect on how their individual attitudes and beliefs developed, and how they impact their practice, their colleagues, and the service system.

Participants will identify strategies to create a sense of belonging for all children in the classroom, explore perceptions about disability, and reflect on how attitudes and beliefs impact early care and education practices.

The class will take place on:

Tuesday, April 21
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
ZOOM
Register

News

February 23, 2026

PA Selected for National Thrive from the Start Award to Address Infant and Toddler Homelessness

Pennsylvania is one of 10 states that have been chosen to receive a $100,000 Thrive from the Start award.

The national initiative led by Thrive from the Start and coordinated by Zero to Three in partnership with SchoolHouse Connection, Prevent Child Abuse America, Housing Is, and the National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers.

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The grant will enable partners within the state to build on – rather than duplicate – existing state and local efforts, while strengthening collaboration with advocacy and community partners to increase public and policymaker understanding of prenatal-through-age-3 homelessness.

Families with infants and toddlers are often invisible in traditional homelessness systems, despite facing significant developmental and health risks.

The Thrive from the Start award enables Pennsylvania to further connect the systems that affect families earliest, ensuring that stable housing and high-quality early supports are available together, so every child has the foundation to thrive.

The investment also recognizes the state’s long-standing, cross-sector work to strengthen identification, coordination, and policy responses for infants, toddlers, and expectant parents experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Through the state’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), the state has built a strong foundation of systems coordination, data use, and practice improvement across early childhood, housing, health, and maternal systems.

Thrive from the Start will allow the state to deepen its prenatal-to-3 focus, align systems around a shared policy agenda, and elevate evidence-informed strategies grounded in data and lived experience.

The state’s award will be fiscally managed by the Susquehanna Education Foundation and implemented through the leadership of the OCDEL McKinney-Vento Advisory Group – of which Trying Together is a member – with grant coordination led by the Pennsylvania Head Start State Collaboration Office.

News

February 18, 2026

Trying Together Names Solid Foundations Academy Owner as Advocate of the Month

Trying Together has named Beth Rupert, owner of Solid Foundations Academy, as its February 2026 Advocate of the Month.

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The Advocate of the Month award goes to providers who demonstrate exceptional commitment, compassion, and leadership in the field of early childhood education. Trying Together chose Rupert because of her unique combination of experience, vision, and public influence in the field of early education.

Rupert has worked with children and families in psychiatry for more than 15 years and she understands how early experiences shape lifelong outcomes. Her background as a caregiver, educator, and advocate reflects a lifelong commitment to supporting children and families.

“Early childhood education isn’t just child care or preschool – it’s the foundation of who we become, how we learn, and how we truly see ourselves,” Rupert said. “It’s where confidence is built or broken, where curiosity is nurtured or silenced, and where inequity often begins. Potential isn’t enough without the right support at the right time.”

Rupert is currently starting an education movement focused on the benefits of quality early childhood education. She has been featured on multiple podcasts to discuss the need for systemic change in the broken education system.

Her ongoing advocacy with Trying Together and her pursuit of a doctorate in education demonstrates her dedication to advancing the field.

“Families depend on early childhood education, so they can go to work, provide for their family, build stability, and give their children the strong educational start they deserve,” Rupert said. “Early childhood education is the backbone of our country. When we get the beginning right, we change everything that comes after.”

April Advocacy Blitz

Are you interested in an advocacy opportunity with Trying Together to use your voice as an early childhood champion?

Join us for our April Advocacy Blitz, which is designed to elevate your voice in the field and encourage Pennsylvania’s General Assembly to prioritize continued funding that elevates the field of early care and education.

News

February 13, 2026

Request MOYC Materials for Your Early Learning Program

Trying Together is offering child care programs the opportunity to receive Month of the Young Child (MOYC) materials.

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Programs may request a mailed box of materials related to MOYC – which is observed in April – including:

Posters to display at their program location or to give to local businesses to promote the importance of child care in the community
Buttons for staff and families to wear during the month of April
Printed materials and resources from Trying Together and ERLC Region 5
An activity
Fun surprises

Materials are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last, and boxes are limited to one per program. Those interested in receiving a box should fill out the request form. Programs can expect to receive their boxes before the beginning of April.

MOYC boxes are reserved for programs in the following Southwestern Pennsylvania counties – Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland.

News

February 9, 2026

2026 Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community

The Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community is an annual fundraising walk that benefits local health and human service agencies.

The 2026 Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community is scheduled for Saturday, May 30 at Point State Park. Registration opens at 7:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the walk begins at 9:00 a.m.

If you’re interested in supporting the work of early childhood, walk with Trying Together! Registered walkers will have the option to sign up as an individual, join a team, or create a new team. Early learning programs have a unique opportunity to fundraise for their programs when they form a team with Trying Together.

Fundraise for Your Early Learning Program

The primary goal of the walk is to help participating organizations raise money for their individual missions. One hundred percent of the funds raised through this event go directly back to the participating organizations. This is a great opportunity for nonprofit organizations to raise funds, but not all entities meet the eligibility standards.

If you are the owner or director of an early learning program, Trying Together can work with you to raise funds through the Highmark Walk. When your program creates a walk team on behalf of Trying Together, seventy-five percent of all funds you raise will be donated back to your program! You can use these extra funds to buy supplies, pay bills, take fields trips, and more.

Interested in teaming up with us to raise funds for your program? Create your team now! Visit the Trying Together Fundraising Page, select “Sign Up > Create a Team” and complete the registration form. Use your program name as your team name. For assistance, watch the video below.

Need help fundraising?

Check out our early learning program fundraising guide for ideas, emails/letters, social media posts, and graphics.

Not an early learning program?

You can also support Trying Together by walking as an individual, forming a team, or by making a donation!

Form a Team

Visit the Trying Together Fundraising Page, select “Sign Up” to register as an individual or to create a team, and complete the registration form.

Participants who make or raise a $30 donation must be registered as a walker to receive a free Highmark Walk t-shirt. All t-shirts must be picked up the day of the walk.

Donations

If you can’t make the walk or want to offer Trying Together additional support, consider making a donation. Trying Together will accept donations via the Highmark Walk’s online donation platform or mail. To make a donation online, visit bit.ly/highmark-walk-donate, type “Trying Together” into the search bar, and complete the form.

If you would like to submit a check or cash donation, please complete a Walker Donation Form and mail the completed form and donation to Trying Together at the following address:

Trying Together
c/o Maria Pisano
5604 Solway Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Donations must be submitted by June 30, 2026. All registered walkers who raise or donate $30 or more will receive a Highmark Walk T-shirt while supplies last.

For more information, contact Maria Pisano, Director of Community Relations, at maria@tryingtogether.org.

More Information

For more information and answers to common questions, visit Highmark’s FAQ page or view the Highmark Walk 2026 flyer.

News

February 4, 2026

Winter Wellness & Family Connections Event

Jeremiah’s Place, the Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal, and Trying Together will host a Winter Wellness and Family Connections Event on Wednesday, February 18.

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The event is a welcoming gathering for families with young children that combines practical winter supports, family-friendly activities, and space for connection and listening.

It will include light snacks, children’s activities, winter wellness, comfort giveaways, and opportunities to support families in tangible ways and to listen to parents’ hopes, needs, and concerns.

The event will run from noon to 1 p.m. – during drop-in play hours – on February 18 at the Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center, located at 7219 Kelly Street in Pittsburgh.

News

February 2, 2026

Capturing Moments: Planning for and Conducting Classroom Observations

This session will introduce early education professionals to the importance and value of purposeful observation.

Through discussions and activities, instructors will describe and strategize ways to incorporate systematic and intentional observation into daily classroom experiences. Participants will also discuss how observation can be used to support individual children and improve the overall quality of the learning environment.

When: Monday, March 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost: $20
Location: ZOOM
Register