News
For Educators
- The Siembra Latinos Fund awards annual grants to nonprofit organizations and groups serving nonprofit organizations and public agencies serving Monterey County residents. Grant applications are open June 15 and due August 4.
- Curious about helping parents with children who may be experiencing autism or an eating disorder? Seneca Center is offering various workshops to help families and caregivers who work with youth in Monterey County.
- Deepen your understanding of transitions to school for your preschoolers. CDE has developed a link to highlight the alignment across grades and systems to improve coordination of policies and practices in preschool, across transitions to Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten and beyond.
- Do you need a FAQ sheet to share with parents and staff around health and safety? UCSF has amazing resources for providers and parents with a variety of topics ranging from Autism to Vaccine Safety. All Fact Sheets are available in English, Spanish, and Chinese!
- Stipends for child care educators/providers are headed to you! See if you are eligible to receive $1,442 per subsidy child and complete the required ARPA survey by August 15, 2023.
- Safe Spaces is a learning hub for school and child care settings with a focus on Trauma Informed Practices. Professional Learning Modules will be launched this summer for free in English and Spanish.
- Early Math Symposium is open for Educators! Learn more about early math fundamentals and how to incorporate tools into your classroom/home on Friday, June 23 from 9:00am-3:00pm. It’s virtual and free!
- You are invited to complete a brief Early Math Initiative Field Survey on your experiences and perspectives as an educator, care provider, or professional learning staff (e.g., coach, trainer, mentor) who supports educators. The survey will help inform future professional development activities for ECE professionals and will be available until 5:00pm on Friday, June 9. Another survey is from the PreK in Family Child Care Project; stipends are available upon completion.
- MPC is offering online summer courses in ECE! Register for Child Growth and Development, Principles and Practices of Teaching Young Children, and Child, Family, and Community.
- 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
- Find the right program for your 3-4 year old! Check out the Monterey County Office of Education UPK Community Magazine for UPK resources.
Spanish: https://anyflip.com/ppdou/byoq/ English: https://anyflip.com/ppdou/ktoq/ - What happens when you use your cell phone around your kids? Take a look at this article by Greater Good Science Center that shows the negative impacts on your child.
- Early Start provides free services to infants and toddlers (0-3 years) with disabilities and their families. The San Andreas Regional Center serves Monterey County and can provide speech, occupational and physical therapy, nutrition, nursing, and other services. Click here for more information.
- Monterey Bay Parent magazine has released their June/July issue. Check out their summer happenings.
- Need a free health check or immunization for your child? The Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program provides crucial services for families, children, and educators in Monterey County.
- Breastfeeding support groups in Salinas and Soledad! Get the latest information on nutrition and child care as well as support with other mothers. Save the date for the Breastfeeding Walk in Salinas and Soledad on August 1 and 3.
- Now Enrolling! Hartnell College ECE program welcomes you and your child to quality child care on the Hartnell Campus. Morning and afternoon sessions are available.
- 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
- Monterey County child care supply and demand data is available. This data shows the number of spaces that are licensed for children in both homes and centers. Other interesting data is included like child care and family budgets!
- Monterey County programs offer public assistance including WIC, Medi-Cal, breastfeeding support, and CalFresh. Help families in need apply for services.
- 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, 81.4% 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].