From 4Cs - A Year of Change

December, 2019 - In This Issue:

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

TOY AND WARM COAT GIVEAWAY

PARENT PROMISE ACADEMY GRADUATION

TAX TIME IS ALMOST HERE

2020 CENSUS: GET INVOLVED

4CS IS HIRING

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROVIDERS

From the Desk of Our Executive Director

Dear 4Cs Community,

Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, has been quoted as saying " change is the only constant in life." As 2019 comes to a close, I could not be more proud of how 4Cs of Alameda County staff have embraced this inevitable change. Earlier this year some long-term leaders here at 4Cs left to to start a new chapter in their lives. We are grateful for their dedication and decades of service to children and families in Alameda County. With their departures, new opportunities opened up at the agency and were filled with both internal promotions and the recruitment of new members to the leadership team.

In this newsletter, we are saying goodbye and wishing all the best to our long-time Financial Director, Ida Hortinela. Ida has been with 4Cs of Alameda County for just about 20 years. During this time, we've enjoyed exemplary financial management and two decades of clean audits! In the new year, Ida will be stepping back from her position and taking some well-deserved time off to spend with family. While she will be missed dearly, I will be forever grateful for the time we shared.

In 2020, I am excited about 4Cs' leadership team and the continued work we will do on behalf of our community. As changes at 4Cs internally have challenged us to embrace a new chapter, changes in the Alameda County early care and education landscape in 2020 also usher in new, exciting opportunities. On December 5th, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to place the Alameda County Health and Child Care Initiative on the March 2020 ballot after a successful county-wide signature-gathering campaign. If the initiative passes, thousands of children, families, and child care providers and teachers will benefit from equitable access to quality early care and education programs. This ground-breaking measure would be an incredible win for our neighbors, families, and friends furthest from opportunity.

As we embrace internal and external change, I thank you, our wonderful donors and community members, for remaining steadfast in your support of 4Cs of Alameda County. Your donations, volunteer hours, engagement, and partnership are appreciated now and throughout the year.

Be well,

Renee S. Herzfeld

Executive Director

P.S. We are always grateful for your financial support of 4Cs. If 4Cs of Alameda County is part of your end-of-year giving, donation links are available through our Facebook Page and Website.

A Wonderful Toy and Warm Coat Giveaway

First Annual Event Serves Hundreds

On a chilly Friday, December 13th, 4Cs of Alameda County transformed their garage in Hayward into a toy and gift wonderland. In the span of a few hours, dozens of parents shopped for hundreds of toys, coats, clothes, food, diapers, and other items courtesy of 4Cs' Community "Closet." These new toys and "Closet" items were graciously donated by 4Cs' staff, Board members, and supporters with additional funding by Sunlight Giving and online donors. More than 200 children were registered to receive gifts and those who missed the registration deadline were welcome to shop for other essentials. Thank you to our donors and volunteers, we hope to make this an annual event and look forward to serving even more families through 4Cs of Alameda County's Community "Closet" and special events in the new year. You can view photos from the event here and learn more about the Community "Closet" at https://www.4calameda.org/parents/communitycloset.

Participants Celebrate Parent Promise Academy Graduation

HPN Program a Success!

4Cs' Hayward Promise Neighborhoods (HPN) Team completed the first Parent Promise Academy at Glassbrook Elementary with cake, ponche, and delicious posole made by Hayward parents. Our facilitator, Debora Roca from Family Paths, took parents through the new edition of Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors 10-session curriculum. There was a sense of community and support within the group of parents, some of whom already knew each other while all of them made new social connections. Parents were also very involved and participated in many class discussions about being Latino/a parents in Hayward. HPN parents learned about early childhood development, early reading, good health, social and emotional well-being, early math, transition to kinder, leadership, and advocacy. It was a pleasure and an honor for our 4Cs team to serve this group of parents who reminded us why we do the work we do in the community. Parent Promise Academy ended with a heartwarming graduation to celebrate the HPN parents who are ready to strengthen and advocate for their families!

Parent Promise Academy is offered through 4Cs HPN programming. Please call or email HPN Project Supervisor Cynthia Padilla for more information and eligibility at 510-584-3122 or [email protected] .

4Cs' VITA Site Opens January 30th

Tax Time Just Around the Corner

It's almost Tax Time! 4Cs' Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site opens for the 2019 tax season on January 30, 2020 and runs through April 9, 2020. Our tax professionals are here to prepare and file your taxes for free while keeping you informed of the most recent changes to tax law.

Want to learn more and have your taxes completed and filed for free? For more information and to be sure you're prepared with all documentation needed, visit the 4Cs VITA Tax Site Information Page.

2020 Census Coming Up

Ways To Get Involved

The 2020 Census will be here soon! Check out Alameda County's Census website here. 4Cs will be hosting a Questionnaire Assistance Center at the main Hayward office for folks who would like assistance completing the Census, as well as informational workshops in the Spring. In the meantime please consider:

Apply to be a census enumerator. Supervisory and Non-supervisory positions are available in Alameda County. Salary ranging from $25.00 - $27.50 per hour. For more details and to apply visit 2020census.gov/jobs.

Become a Census Ambassador. Host an event where people can complete the census, Adopt-a-Block or host a Questionnaire Assistance Center! Learn more about being a Census Ambassador here or apply online to become a Census Ambassador.

Become a Messenger for the Census. Messengers work with Alameda County to help get the word out about important Census information. The county will provide you with content for emails, social media, or newsletters for you to share. You can sign-up to become a Messenger on Alameda County Complete Count Committee website.

Share your ideas online. The county website has a form you can fill-out to share your ideas.

4Cs is Hiring

Career Opportunities at 4Cs

Join our team of dedicated, energetic, and caring professionals. More opportunities at 4Cs are coming soon! Check our " Career Opportunities at 4Cs" webpage to stay up-to-date on available job openings.

Full-Time

Child Care Services Specialist, Parent Services (Oakland)

Director, Finance (Hayward)

Receptionist, Bilingual - Spanish/English (Hayward)

Part-Time

Special Event Teacher (Hayward & Southern Alameda County)