HEAR FROM OUR STAFF FOR AOK UPDATES

Dear Jessica,

On behalf of our entire team here at All Our Kin, we want to wish you a wonderful holiday season! We hope this season fills you with love, peace and the joy that you bring to so many families.

There’s nothing we love more than educators lifting their voices! Our very own Norma Stennett, founder of the home-based program Scholastic Renaissance, was recently featured in the CT Post demonstrating how family child care educators go above and beyond to meet the needs of working families— especially during the holiday season. Check out Miss Norma’s article, which ran in nine CT-based publications here.

If you are interested in advocacy or media opportunities, we’d love to hear from you! Please reach out to your local site or our Communications Director Wende Gozan-Brown at [email protected].

As you may know, The Build Back Better Plan is slowly making its way through Congress. Child care funding is not secure until there's a final vote and Senate Democrats hope to vote on the bill by December 17th. Mark your calendar to take part in a virtual, nationwide rally a week from today -- December 14th -- to remind Senators why providers and families can’t wait any longer for a $400 billion investment in child care and pre-k. That day, family child care educators will send hundreds of letters and social media messages to Connecticut Senators Blumenthal and Murray.

In observance of the holidays, All Our Kin’s offices will be closed from December 23rd until January 3rd. Reach out to an AOK team member for any assistance prior to closure.

Sending you our love, friendship and some holiday cheer!

In Solidarity,

The All Our Kin Team

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Care 4 Kids

Care4Kids will no longer cover family fees. As part of the Coronavirus relief package passed by Congress in December, Governor Lamont dedicated $8 million to paying Care4Kids family fees for new and existing families from April 1, 2021, until November 30, 2021. This deadline has not be extended.

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CT Grown for CT Kids Grant

The CT Department of Agriculture is offering a new farm-to school grant opportunity. These funds can be used to increase access to local food in child nutrition programs.

The deadline to apply is December 20th at 4pm. For more information click here.

Jingle and Mingle: Stamford & Norwalk

Join us tonight for this special Space Together: Jingle & Mingle at the Norwalk Inn! We want to celebrate you and all your devoted and difficult work with a buffet dinner event. Due to COVID restrictions this will be a smaller, more intimate event than what we are used to. If you are interested and can commit to attending the event in full, please email [email protected], call Danny Reyes: (203) 690-9726, or ask an AOK team member to sign you up.

Tuesday, December 7th

6:30pm - 8:30pm

Our Time: New Haven

We are excited to announce our last network meeting of the year, “Our Time” (yay!). The gathering will take place on Thursday, December 9th at 6pm. We'll be coming together to create a space for holiday celebrations, wellness, and more. We would love to see each of you and be able to end this year by sharing and planning our future plans.

Thursday, December 9th

6:00pm

Virtual

Bridgeport Network Holiday Open House

Join the Bridgeport team for an end of year open house. Stop by the Bridgeport office anytime between 6 and 8 pm to connect with the All Our Kin team and with educators in the network. We will have giveaways, including warm weather gear for the children in your program, hot beverages and refreshments. For comfort and safety, the food and beverage will be offered outside around a cozy fire and giveaways and activities will be in the office so dress warm. We are excited to see everyone again! If you plan to attend, even if just for a short time, please call Pam and register at 475-282-4770 or email [email protected]. The Bridgeport office is located at 1550 State St in Bridgeport. Please park directly on State Street.

Thursday, December 16th

6:00-8:00pm

Parking Lot Distribution of PPE and Art Kits

Our next parking lot distribution of PPE and art kits will take place on Saturday, December 11th from 12pm to 1pm, in the parking lot of our new location, 153 East Street, New Haven, 06511.

Saturday, December 11th

12:00-1:00pm

Exploring Race and Representation in Picture Books

Join educators from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art for a virtual workshop exploring how to use picture books to provide “mirrors and windows” that reflect readers’ identities and open their eyes to the world beyond their lived experiences. This two-part workshop will feature presentations from Carle educators, book sharing, and opportunities for discussion and reflection. Participants will receive supporting materials, including supplemental readings, thematic book lists, and resources for building a more equitable, inclusive book collection. Certificates will be issued for 3 hours of professional development.

Wednesdays, December 8th & 15th

7:00pm - 8:30pm

Virtual

FCC Educator Panel: Communicating with Parents & Families

Hear from fellow educator colleagues about their strategies for communicating with families. Panelists will talk about their communication routines, how they navigate difficult conversations with families, the improvements they would like to make to their communication, and the ways they think their network of fellow FCC educators can be a helpful resource. Certificates will be issued for 1.25 hours of professional development.

Tuesday, December 21st

6:00-7:15 pm

Virtual

Children and the Pandemic: Developing a Responsive Approach to the Needs of the Children in Your Care

All Our Kin welcomes Clinical Psychologist Dr. Irene Mazer, who comes with a wealth of knowledge regarding early childhood development, to lead a workshop on how to respond and support children's social-emotional needs during these challenging and stressful times. There will be an opportunity for educators to think through and share strategies with fellow workshop participants. Certificates will be issued for 1.5 hours of professional development.

Thursday, December 16th

6:30-8:00 pm

Virtual

Terri Lynne Lokoff ECE Teacher Awards

First Up’s Champions for Early Education will be hosting the Terri Lynne Lokoff ECE Teacher Awards honoring early childhood educators across the country! The Awards recognizes and celebrates the achievements of outstanding early care teachers, while bringing attention to the critical role that educators play in the lives of young children. Winners will receive a cash prize, a paid trip to Philadelphia to attend the Awards and other prizes! All applications are due by January 28th.

APPLY NOW

Join the All Our Kin Team

Looking to work with a team of dynamic game-changers who care passionately about supporting family child care? We have a number of exciting opportunities available! Click here to learn more about open positions and how to apply!

Contact:

Bridgeport: [email protected]; 203-392-4574

Danbury: [email protected]; 203-690-9726

New Haven: [email protected]; 203-301-8473

Stamford/Norwalk: [email protected]; 203-690-9726