COVID-19 Response & Recovery for Child Care & Wellbeing
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.
News
- Free COVID vaccine clinics are open for adults and children two years and up. Check out these English and Spanish flyers and link for dates and locations across the county.
- Need to find a testing or vaccine clinic in Monterey County? Visit MontereyCountyVaccines.com or find your location in the flyers: Free Testing and Free Vaccination sites.
- Get free health checks and immunizations at the Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program. They provide crucial services for families, children, and educators in Monterey County including current health informational presentations, training, health checks, and immunizations. Check out these flyers to learn more.
- Create a caring classroom! Here are some tips for teachers who want to create a responsive and nurturing environment for early learners.
- Download the California Meals for Kids mobile app today. The app makes it easy for families and caregivers to find afterschool meal locations. Download the app here.
- Need help finding mental health resources for kids, families or school staff? Check out this new back to school resource from California Health and Human Services.
- Navigate meltdowns, tantrums and opportunities to bond with your preschooler. Learn about your preschooler’s emotional development in this First 5 California link.
- The UPK/Early Learning Network meetings for PK, TK and K teachers are starting up in September! Register here to attend the UPK/ELN meetings where you will network with other early learning professionals and learn about vertical alignment within the UPK spectrum. First meeting is on Wednesday, September 14 from 3:30pm-4:30pm. The flyer is available here.
- Do you need a FAQ sheet to share with parents and staff? UCSF has an amazing resource 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!
- 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. Flyers and information to share with providers and parents are available to help understand the importance of early intervention and prevention. Click here for more information.
- ECE Community College students: Funds are available to help with tuition & textbooks. The funds will go fast, so share this application with those you know and apply early.
- Join parent wellness groups in Spanish and English, to help parents with emotional stressors at The Parenting Connection of Monterey County. Share English and Spanish flyers or register here. The Support Warmline is also available to receive voice and text messages 24hrs a day from both families and professionals: (831) 783-5933.
- Calendar of ECE professional development opportunities: Visit MCOE’s Early Care and Education Department virtual magazine and calendar.
- MPUSD is hiring in their Early Learning programs! Share this flyer with qualified ECE teachers or visit this link for the EdJoin application.
- Bright Beginnings is hiring an Integrated Services Program Manager! Help spread the word and view the job announcement here.
- Interested in starting a family child care business? Classes (in English and Spanish) are starting soon! Share these flyers in your community. Contact Maria Ortiz at the MAOF Resource and Referral at 831-757-0775 for information.
- Join the Monterey County Preschool Service Corps through the United Way’s AmeriCorps program members for the 2022-23 academic year. Visit Monterey County’s United Way website or contact Taylor Jonte-Saiz at (831) 372-8026 x1976 for more information.
Monterey County Vaccines By the Numbers
Overall, 80% 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…
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.