News
Flood Victim Relief: Immediate Financial Assistance available to qualifying households.
For Educators
- CDSS will be hosting two webinars for child care providers and will focus on the $1442 per child stipends as well as the ARPA survey.
All child care providers and direct-service centers must complete the ARPA survey by Thursday, June 1, 2023 to receive any new ARPA-funded investments they may be eligible for, including the $1,442 per child stipends (AB 179). There are two webinars available for more information:
Wednesday, May 3 from 3:00pm to 4:00pm: Zoom link to register
Wednesday, May 10 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm: Zoom link to register
If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]. - Small Business Event for Monterey County businesses, including child care entrepreneurs! Join small business owners at the Dia Del Empresario Latino on Sunday, May 7 from 8:30am-4:30pm at 1 Main Street, Salinas.
- Several flexibilities for child care programs are ending as of Friday, June 30. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has recently posted the following document on its Internet website: CCB 23-09: Expiration of COVID-19 Flexibilities: COVID-19 Related Paid Nonoperational Days, Waived Family Fees, Hold Harmless with Respect to Reimbursement.
- Calling all Monterey County licensed family child care educators and centers! Quality Matters Monterey has released the 2023-24 application for new Quality Matters sites, due Thursday, June 15. Join a community of ECE professionals, receive coaching, technical assistance, stipends, and resources to support your professional growth. Learn more about Quality Matters and watch this video for highlights.
- ECE Community College students: ECE Career Educational Support grants are available for help with tuition & textbooks. The Child Development Training Consortium is offering these funds on a first come first served basis.
For Families
- Free-Open House & Resource Fair in Marina! Join the fun at MPUSD’s open house on Thursday, May 4 from 5:00pm-7:00pm featuring summer camps, activities for children and family resources. Classrooms will be open for current and prospective families. Location: Marina Child Development Centers @ 3066 Lake Drive, Marina.
- Breastfeeding support group in Salinas and Soledad! Get the latest information on nutrition and child care as well as support with other mothers.
- Choosing a quality program for your child is one of the most important decisions a family can make.Family Matters offers tools to help families build awareness of choosing quality early care and education of their choice for a strong start to kindergarten and beyond. Informational Webinars- New Dates:
- Friday, April 28 6:30pm-7:30pm (Spanish)
- Saturday, May 27 9:30am-10:30pm (Spanish)
- Thursday, June 8 6:30pm-7:30pm (English)
- The parenting Connection of Monterey County invites you to their annual Birth & Family Fair. Join them on Saturday, May 6 from 11:00am-3:00pm to learn more about resources in our community for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and the parenting journey. Please help share this opportunity with the community.
- It’s not too early to enroll in summer activities! Check out the Y’s offerings including summer camps and other activities.
- Summer Camps have fun activities for kids when school is out. Check out the Spring Parent Magazine Summer Camp Guide.
- Connect with other moms and their children (0-5) at the Maternal Well-Being play groups. In person and ZOOM groups are being offered. Learn more or call Sandra Avina at (831) 796-6118.
- Fun activities for you and your family are happening at the Salinas Library. Check out their calendar of events for times and dates.
- Looking for child care? Go to Montereycountychildcare.org or Mychildcareplan.org for help finding the right care for your child.
For All
- The Red Cross has immediate financial assistance for households impacted by the floods. Share this information with your community to get them the help they need.
- The Mental Health Services 3 year plan is open for public comment. Your input will help the Monterey County Health Department decide how funds are distributed and used from fiscal year 2023 thru 2026. Deadline to submit comments is Thursday, May 25.
- Monterey County needs businesses that support families, both behind the scenes with strong family policies and in the public eye as a service to families. Ready to apply to become a Bright Beginnings Family Friendly Employer? It’s easy! Learn more and certify your business here. Child care businesses are encouraged to apply!
- Are you or others you know interested in starting a child care business? MAOF is recruiting potential family child care homes and is offering free training, marketing, and up to $1,000 to new or expanding child care programs in Monterey County. Learn more or call MAOF at (831) 757-0775.
- Need to find a COVID-19 testing or vaccine clinic in Monterey County? Visit MontereyCountyVaccines.com or find a location in the flyers: Free Testing and Free Vaccination sites.
Monterey County Vaccines By the Numbers
Overall, 81.3% of the eligible population in Monterey County have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. For more details on COVID health data, visit the Health Departments website here. Stay informed on all things COVID-19 on the Monterey County COVID-19 portal.
COVID-19 Information
COVID-19 Vaccine Information ➡️ click here to learn more…
General COVID-19 & Public Health ➡️ click here to learn more…
Resources & Tools
Financial Relief for Families ➡️ click here to learn more…
All Ages Learning & Development Supports ➡️ click here to learn more…
Resilience & Mental Health Resources ➡️ click here to learn more…
Child Care & Education Quality & Business Tools ➡️ click here to learn more…
Policy & Advocacy ➡️ click here to learn more…
Our goal is to ensure that young children have quality, nurturing, and safe child care and education during and post-pandemic. For more information about this effort and the coalition behind it, please visit our web hub here.
News and resources are shared below. Previous Weekly Digests are available here.
If you have information, flyers, or events you would like to share in this publication, please contact or send information to: [email protected].
Want more information from Bright Beginnings? Stay up-to-date and join the mailing list for the BB Weekly Recovery Coalition Digest, Maternal Mental Health Task Force, and the BB Quarterly Update.
It Takes a Coalition
The emergency response providing coordinated solutions for child care and education is led by a coalition of early childhood champions, united under the Bright Beginnings Strategic Framework to better support all young children and their families, to prepare every child for life and school. This coalition is ever-growing:
4th Monterey County Supervisorial District
30th California Assembly District
Building Healthy Communities
CAPSLO
Carmel Unified School District
Child Care Planning Council
Child Development Centers and Continuing Development Incorporated
Children’s Council
Early Development Services
First 5 Monterey County
Go Kids, Inc.
Health Department
MAOF Resource & Referral & Alternative Payment Program
Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
Natividad Medical Center
North Monterey County Unified School District
Office of Education – Early Learning Program
Office of Education – Educational Services
Public Health Office
Quality Matters Monterey County
Salinas City Elementary School District
Social Services – Child Abuse Prevention Council
United Farmworkers Foundation
United Way of Monterey County
YMCA
A special thanks to the coordinating team and major funders: Bright Beginnings Backbone, Child Care Planning Council, First 5 Monterey County, MAOF Resource & Referral, Quality Matters, and the United Way of Monterey County.
For more information, please contact [email protected].