March 30 | Early Care and Education Digest

Rebeca ZunigaAdvocacy, Community

News

Urgent: Donations and volunteer support are needed for those displaced by the floods. Help those in immediate need through the following Storm Relief Donations

Debris Removal handouts are available for residents to follow when cleaning out their property.

For Educators

  • You may be eligible for the 2023 ECE Higher Education Stipend, if you are taking courses and are working in an early education site or licensed child care home. Applications are due this Friday,  March 31! Learn more and help share these flyers. 
  • Has your child care business been impacted by the recent floods? El Pájaro CDC is working to assist business owners impacted by the recent storms and flooding in the community of Pajaro and the Salinas Valley. Complete this survey to help bring resources to the community or contact El Pajaro CDC at (831)722-1224 or info@elpajarocdc.org. 
  • Talk with your parents about healthy nutrition and activity with these easy talking points. Supporting these healthy habits will  help children grow and learn!
  • Monthly open door sessions with mental health consultants (IECMHC) are available for caregivers with questions, concerns and challenges about young children. Join them via zoom:
  • Want to improve your computer skills for your child care business? El Pajaro is offering a workshop in Spanish to help you learn Microsoft Office, video conferencing, email, and social media. Workshop date:
    • Saturday, April 8 9:30am-11:30am (virtual)
  • Professional development opportunities are available for ECE providers at the Monterey County Office of Education’s Early Care and Education Department. Check out their virtual magazine.
  • 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

  • Get $75 for your participation in a focus group! Families with children 0-5 years of age are encouraged to participate and share their experiences on their child’s mental health and wellness. Sign up by this Friday, March 31. 
  • Eating healthy foods and being active are important for children of all ages. Share these tip sheets with child care providers and families. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • Families are invited to join the free Stay and Play followed by story time at various Monterey County Free Libraries. There are three times and locations; share this flyer:
  • 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

  • Did you lose power for more than 48 hours? The Safety Net Program offers monetary compensation to residential customers who lost power for more than 48 hours and pays $25 to $100 automatically 60 to 120 days after the power outage.
  • 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: Laura@BrightBeginningsMC.org. 

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 sonja@brightbeginningsmc.org.