News

December 8, 2025

Support Our Work: Donate Before the End of the Year

When you donate to Trying Together, you become 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, develop community resources to help families thrive, and provide professional growth opportunities for educators.

As 2025 draws to a close, Trying Together needs your help reaching our year-end fundraising goal. Whether you’re donating for the first time or you regularly give, your support is welcome and appreciated.

Donate now.

The Impact of Your Contribution

Wondering about the impact your contribution may have on the lives of those we serve? Below are just a few programs and initiatives your donation supports:

$100 covers CPR training for an educator
$250 helps one educator complete their Child Development Associate (CDA) portfolio
$500 supports an early educator complete the Child Care 101: New Hire Orientation Professional Development Series
$1,000 sponsors a group day trip to Harrisburg to advocate for increased investments in early education
$2,500 underwrites a site-wide training for a provider serving 40+ children

Maximize Your Impact

Once you’ve donated, you have the opportunity to double your donation by requesting a matching gift from your employer. The process is simple – once you make a donation, you will be prompted to check for matching gift opportunities. You simply enter your employer’s name, and the Double the Donation database will identify whether your employer has a matching gift program and determine if you are eligible.

If eligible, you will be guided through the process of submitting a matching gift request to your employer. Search now to see if your employer will match your donation.

News

December 5, 2025

Registration Open for UnConference: Kindergarten Transition

Registration is now open for Trying Together’s UnConference: Kindergarten Transition scheduled for Monday, February 16 at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit.

Learn More

The UnConference will highlight multiple aspects of preparing children for kindergarten, from early intervention practices and engaging parents to play-based learning and emotional regulation.

Attendees will hear from a keynote speaker as well as a panel of experts on kindergarten registration and readiness. Participants will also attend sessions in the morning and afternoon that are led by local and national early childhood organizations.

More Details

The UnConference will run from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, located at 475 E. Waterfront Drive in Homestead. The fee to attend is $25. Registration is required and now open.

Free parking will be available in the AIU parking lot, and overflow parking is available across the street. A light breakfast with coffee and tea will be available and lunch will be provided as part of the registration fee.

The event will begin with keynote speaker Swati Adarkar, the former deputy assistant secretary for policy and early learning at the U.S. Department of Education. Then, participants will listen to a panel of experts who will discuss how early intervention plays a critical role in supporting kindergarten transitions and how to support and improve on-time kindergarten registration and readiness.

A total of 4.5 PQAS and Act 48 credit hours will be available for attendees. Trying Together will host the event in partnership with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, United Way of SWPA, and Hi5!.

Workshops

Attendees will take part in two sessions – one in the morning and another in the afternoon – led by local and national early childhood organizations. During registration, participants will be asked to make selections for the two workshop time slots.

Workshops include:

How Community Partnerships Strengthen Kindergarten Readiness Efforts
A K.I.N.D. Framework for Engaging Parents
Preparing for Kindergarten with Fred Rogers Productions
Strengthening My Early Learner: A Parent’s Journey
The Power of Play

About UnConference

The UnConference is an innovative, hands-on professional development training format in which a deeper experience is provided around a particular theme. Local and national speakers are invited to present and participants are encouraged to engage hands on in the workshops.

The day concludes with a roundtable discussion on how to apply these experiences and ideas in the early childhood environment and share ideas on how to partner with new colleagues.

News

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.

News

November 20, 2025

PA Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women Hosts Discussion on Child Care Crisis

The Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women hosted a virtual discussion earlier this week between business and government leaders and child care advocates about the state’s child care crisis.

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The discussion – which took place on Monday – focused on the ongoing child care crisis, which has forced many parents to leave the workforce due to the lack of access to affordable child care.

“Ensuring affordable, high-quality child care depends on bold, ongoing investment in the educators who power our commonwealth,” said Cara Ciminillo, Trying Together’s executive director. “Early educators are the workforce behind every thriving community. By continuing to invest in them, Pennsylvania can strengthen its economy, support families, and build a child care system that positions our state for long-term prosperity.”

The topics focused on during the discussion – which included Trying Together and various other organizations – will inform the commission’s future recommendations to the Shapiro Administration.

Gov. Josh Shapiro recently signed the state budget, which secured the following investments in child care:

$25 million for a new Child Care Staff Retention and Recruitment Program, providing about $450 per employee annually to licensed Child Care Works providers
A $7.5 million increase in Pre-K Counts rates, enabling providers to raise wages and stabilize the early educator workforce
Continued support for the Employer Child Care Contribution Tax Credit, which encourages businesses to help employees cover child care costs, and the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit for working families
A $10 million increase for Early Intervention to provide coaching support and services to families and children with developmental delays and disabilities

“Child care and the early learning professionals who make this work possible play an important role in supporting child development and fueling our economy,” said Shante Brown, deputy secretary of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL). “Our child care workforce makes it possible for parents to go to work knowing their children are learning and growing in an enriching, caring environment.”

News

November 10, 2025

Trying Together Exec Director to Participate in Discussion on How Child Care Shapes PA Economy

Trying Together Executive Director Cara Ciminillo will take part in an upcoming virtual discussion on how child care shapes Pennsylvania’s economy.

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The state Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women will host a virtual discussion on Monday, November 17 on child care’s role in Pennsylvania’s economy.

The event will be a candid conversation featuring participants from business and economic development, state government, and child care advocacy. It will explore the workforce, policy, and cultural shifts needed to strengthen child care in Pennsylvania.

The state is currently facing a child care crisis that affects every sector of its economy. Due to a shortage of 3,000 child care positions affecting care for more than 25,000 children, families are being forced to choose between cutting work hours or leaving the workforce entirely.

Since nearly 70% of children have working parents and 95% of child care workers are women, the issue is deeply intertwined with women’s economic opportunity.

The virtual discussion will focus on identifying the problem and shaping solutions that help families, employers, and the economy.

Panelists include Ciminillo; Shante Brown, the deputy secretary of the state’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL); Alex Halper, senior vice president of government affairs for the PA Chamber of Business and Industry; and Kevin Schreiber, president and CEO of the York County Economic Alliance.

Tracy Lawless – government affairs counselor for K&L Gates and chairwoman of the Women in the Workforce Subcommittee of the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Women – will be the moderator.

Those interested in attending can RSVP online.

News

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

News

November 7, 2025

Donate to Trying Together 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, this year on GivingTuesday.

When you donate to Trying Together on December 2, 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.

Learn More

This year, we’ve set a goal of $5,000. 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. 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

News

November 3, 2025

From Cradle to Career: How Child Care Shapes Pennsylvania’s Economy

The state Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women will host a virtual discussion on Monday, November 17 on how child care helps to shape Pennsylvania’s economy.

Learn More

Panelists include Trying Together Executive Director Cara Ciminillo and Shante Brown, the deputy secretary of the state’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), among others.

The discussion will run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Those interested can RSVP online.

News

October 28, 2025

Trying Together Exec Director Touts Importance of Early Childhood Education at Business Solves Conference

Trying Together’s executive director discussed the importance of early childhood education during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Business Solves conference on October 28.

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Cara Ciminillo, Trying Together’s executive director, joined Mark Bezilla, vice president and manager of corporate volunteerism at PNC Bank, and Brittany Scott, senior manager of policy and childhood education at the chamber, to discuss Trying Together’s partnership with the bank.

During the partnership spotlight – titled Creating Systems-Level Change for Children – both Ciminillo and Bezilla discussed why early childhood education is critical to the workforce.

“We see child care as a structure just as a bridge is to a city,” Ciminillo said. “In Pennsylvania, more than 75 chambers of commerce have endorsed child care as a top priority.”

Ciminillo cited a study in Washington County that found that a shortage of more than 1,500 child care slots resulted in $5 million in lost productivity for the county’s workforce. She added that early childhood education is an “infrastructure for the economy” because it allows parents to remain in the workforce.

Ciminillo and Bezillo discussed how Trying Together and PNC Bank have partnered on various initiatives, from financial management courses to helping to build early childhood education kits at Trying Together’s office.

She also talked about the areas in which Trying Together works in the early childhood education field.

“Our work spans two areas – direct support to the caregiving community and the developmental needs of children and family through professional development, coaching, behavioral health consultation, and child care navigation tools, and advocacy and system change by partnering with philanthropy, government and the business community to help bring about long-term policy solutions,” she said. “Child care is the workforce behind the workforce. It’s what helps us have a thriving economy.”

To listen to the entire discussion, watch the 2025 Business Solves Conference Day 1.

News

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.”