What do you do to transition your children from summer to school year? This month’s HoCo Community Chat podcast episode talks about behavioral and mental health awareness as kids head back to the classroom. Listen to Tracy Broccolino, president, Community Action Council of Howard County, Erin Bonzon, administrator of our Office of Children & Families,and Jackie Scott, podcast host and director, Department of Community Resources & Services, define the issues and discuss strategies. You can also find the podcast on all your favorite platforms.

The Family Support Center (FSC) offers comprehensive, family-centered, community-based preventive programs for parents and caregivers of children from birth to age five. The FSC will promote the full development and wellbeing of children, enhance the quality of parent and child interactions, and link families to services to enhance self-sufficiency and sustainability.

Program highlights include child development, parent education and health information programs, plus resources and referrals. To learn more about upcoming events and workshops, contact OCF at 410-313-1940 (voice/relay) or email [email protected]. Note: a Family Support Center is not a child care center.

Parents are invited to attend OCF's Early Care and Education Conference to explore the topic, Kindergarten Readiness: Fact or Fiction? Conference presenters will deliver hands-on presentations with strategies to prepare your children for kindergarten. The keynote informational session will focus on achieving School Readiness while supporting children’s curiosities and critical thinking skills. A breakout session, Meaningful Family Engagement, will help parents learn how to authentically be involved in their children’s child care or preschool program. Registration is required; conference cost is $75, but parents pay just $10 using coupon code FSCGRANT.

The Bronze Villagers offers outreach and support for parents of African American children, from birth to age five. Check out these upcoming events focused on preparing your child for kindergarten:

Did you know students, community members and non-HCPSS parents may sign up to receive email and/or text messages from the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) and/or specific schools? Parents/guardians of enrolled HCPSS students do not need to sign up for a HCPSS news account as their student's emergency card automatically enables them to receive messages. Additionally, HCPSS Connect provides access to a variety of student information and classroom instructional tools offering personalized communication and timely, relevant and easily accessible information relating to your student.

In addition to HCPSS news and information, it's a good idea to stay on top of what's happening in Howard County. Here are some reliable sources to consider:

Elizabeth M. Walsh (District 1); Opel T. Jones  (District 2); Christiana M. Rigby  (District 3);

Deb Jung (District 4); and David G. Yungmann (District 5).

 September is Emergency Preparedness Month

Prepare your children and family to face emergencies and disasters head-on. Does your family have an evacuation plan or the necessary supplies to shelter in place? In addition to creating a family plan, it is important to practice emergency preparedness with your children. If you don’t know where to start, use the Howard County Office of Emergency Management’s emergency plan template and disaster recovery kit template as a guide. Learn more about emergency preparedness resources in Howard County.

It’s a simple fact: A child’s chance for a bright tomorrow starts with getting enough food to eat today. In the United States, 9 million children may not know where to get their next meal. Hunger Action Month in September is a crucial time when individuals and organizations across the country come together to fight against hunger and create lasting change. Locally, the Howard County Food Bank continues to be a reliable resource for those facing food insecurity. Help the Community Action Council of Howard County meet ongoing needs to ensure no one goes hungry tin our community. Donate now.

If you are struggling with food insecurity in Howard County, the interactive Food Connection Map can help you locate healthy, low-cost food. To access additional resources for food, health, housing, transportation, education, employment, and more, visit the CAREAPP website.

In addition, if your child is enrolled in a HCPSS school, your family may be eligible to participate in the Free and Reduced-price Meals (FARMs) program. In addition to free or low cost meals, FARMs provides children with a wide range of benefits including discounts on college tuition, testing and application fees, academic and athletic program fees, and many others. Visit the FARMs website for more information.

Robinson Nature Center Anniversary Open House

Help the Robinson Nature Center celebrate its 12th anniversary and see what's new, including the Discovery Room updates, additions to the Nature Place outdoor play area and more. Meet live animals, get your face or hand painted, see an outdoor puppet show or planetarium show and enjoy activities with our partners. Onsite parking is limited, but offsite parking with a complimentary shuttle is available. Free admission. Register now.