What's New at YWCA Boulder County
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Dear YWCA Families,
As part of our community, we want you to know that we are here to help you navigate this challenging time, now and in the future. We know how important it is for families in our community to have a safe and affordable option for their childcare, and it is our honor to be your choice. Our staff has been working hard to provide the same loving care as always, and to go above and beyond to keep our center clean and disinfected to the rigorous standards set by Boulder County Public Health. We are excited to see our expansion speed along and can't wait to bring in 24 new little ones for our new, flexible schedule permanent care coming this fall (and enrolling now)! Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or are in need of child care.
Together in the journey,
Director, ECE & Family Resources, Kate Hise, and Staff of Persimmon Early Learning
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- Friday, Aug. 14 - Closing at 4:00 PM for our monthly staff meeting
- Monday, Aug. 17 - First day of our Preschool Program
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Our Expansion is Taking Shape
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Construction is moving along quickly and our new classrooms are taking shape! Things are staying on schedule for opening our 24 additional permanent care spots this fall.
We are so excited to provide the same drop-in care YWCA Boulder County has always provided, plus new permanent care with flexible scheduling.
Start the enrollment process today
to secure spots for permanent care starting in September 2020. We will offer permanent child care for children ages eight weeks to 4 years old.
Online Parent Info Sessions will be held virtually every other Wednesday, starting with:
- Wednesday, August 5 from 11:30 -12:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, August 19 from 11:30 -12:30 p.m.
Visit our
website
and fill out our
Interest Form
to sign up for an Info Session, be notified of Virtual Tours (coming soon!), and begin the enrollment process today.
We’re happy to share our expansion and enrollment news with you, and we’ll keep you updated on our progress.
Thanks as always for your support – we couldn’t have done this without you!
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Paint Dotter Art from the Toddler Room
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Infant Development Center (IDC) News
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Exploring Water
It has been a hot summer, so the children in our IDC program have been busy finding ways to stay cool. They have been exploring water in tubs in their classroom and on the playground, and by visiting Boulder Creek, where they love to throw rocks into the water and watch the splash.
Try exploring water with your infant at home. Fill a shallow bucket and splash around! For added fun, try adding a small amount of baby shampoo to make some bubbles in the water, or a few drops of food coloring to color the water. You can also add different objects to the water (like cups, sticks, leaves, or bath toys) and notice which objects float and which sink. Remember that young children should be constantly supervised near any amount of water, so play together and pour the water out when you’re done!
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Exploring Art Materials
The children in our toddler program have recently been exploring a variety of art materials, including finger paint, paint dotters, markers and crayons. They love to see the way different materials make different marks on the paper, and of course they love to see how the paint feels on their skin! Young toddlers love art but are mainly interested in trying different ways to use each material (often coloring their skin or putting the materials in their mouths). As children get closer to preschool age, they will show more interest in the appearance of their finished artwork.
Try exploring some art materials at home with your toddler! Wide crayons and markers that are easy for toddlers to hold can be great choices, or follow the link below to learn how to make your own homemade finger paint! Remember to supervise closely, as toddlers are still learning to keep their art on the paper (not the walls and the couch!). For a mess-free art project, give your toddler a wide paintbrush and a cup of water and let them paint everything outside!
Homemade Finger Paint
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Busy Like Bees
The children in our preschool classroom have been very interested in bees recently, after discovering some beehives while out on a walk. In this activity one of our preschool students is mimicking the way a bee collects nectar from a flower and brings it back to their hive. This activity is reinforcing science concepts, as well as strengthening fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
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You can see what activities we provide, access our activity calendars, menus, current growth in the garden, fun cooking videos for recipes you can cook with your family, resources, and a list of our current partnerships!
We would love to include more photos/testimonials of families cooking, exploring the garden, or implementing fitness activities at home. If you wish to share photos or testimonials, please email our Wellness Program Coordinator Tori Anderson at:
tori@ywcaboulder.org.
These are easy recipes you can make for snacks or meals. Get your kids involved in the kitchen! Kids learn so much by participating in hands on learning. If they can help prepare new foods they are more likely to try it!
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Farm to Early Care and Education Harvests of the month are:
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Beets
Did you know the whole beet plant can be eaten?! Beets come in a variety of colors. ½ c of beet root is a great source of folate, manganese, and riboflavin. ½ c of beet greens is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, manganese, and riboflavin. Riboflavin is a B vitamin that is needed for growth and overall health.
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Green Beans
Did you know that there are over 200 species of beans, which vary in color and shape? ½ c of cooked green beans provides your body with a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, fiber and folate! Try to eat green beans fresh, baked, or steamed. Rule of thumb…steam the vegetables until they become more of a vibrant color. Your body will absorb more nutrients when cooked this way. You do not want the water to steal too much of the color because that usually means you have lost a lot of nutrients from the vegetable.
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Recipe of the Month:
Beet Smoothie
Servings: 2 cups
Ingredients:
½ c orange juice
1 c mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
1/3 c diced beets (fresh or frozen)
¼ c low-fat or fat-free plain yogurt (or low-fat coconut milk)
Ice (optional)
Directions:
1. Dice beets if using fresh.
2. Have children wash hands. Allow children to help measure ingredients and pour into blender.
3. Cover the blender and puree until smooth.
4. Serve immediately!
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Recipe of the Month:
Green Bean Fries:
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
½ lb green beans
1 c whole wheat flour
1 egg
½ c low-fat or fat-free milk
2 c whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
2. Fill a large pot with 2-3 inches of water and bring to a boil. While water comes to a boil, trim the green beans. Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside.
3. Blanch the beans for 3 minutes and immediately remove them to the ice bath.
4. To prepare beans, gather three bowls. In the first bowl, combine the flour and spices. In the second, combine the egg and milk, whisking to combine. In the third, place the panko and season with salt and pepper. Remove 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture and whisk into the egg/milk mixture.
5. Pat the beans dry and dredge in the flour mixture, then into the milk/egg mixture, and finally into the panko coat. Arrange the beans in a single layer on baking sheet lined with lightly oiled aluminum foil. Prepare all of the beans in that manner.
6. Bake for 15 minutes until slightly browned.
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YWCA Events
- Being an Antiracist - Virtual Training Series - Join the Interest List
- We have designed a training and discussion series called "Being an Antiracist", for individuals who are committed to learning more about the personal, interpersonal, institutional and structural systems of racism, and taking informed action to transform our communities and end racism. Please add your name and contact info to the Interest List so that we can contact you about future sessions.
- Labor Day, Sept. 7 - Sunday, Sept. 27 - VIRTUAL Dash & Bash 2020
- This year we are taking the Dash & Bash online so individuals, businesses and teams of friends, family, coworkers and civic groups can make a statement and create real change by fundraising to fuel YWCA’s programs and services.
- March, walk or run anytime and anywhere between Sept. 7 and Sept. 27
- Easy-to-use online platform to create your own individual and team fundraising page
- ONLINE celebration on Sunday, Sept. 27 at Noon MST (stay tuned for details!)
Registration kicks off on August 10.
Community Events
- Women's Wilderness is excited to announce that, starting in July, our summer backpacking, rock climbing and hiking COURSES FOR GIRLS ARE ON! We have never been more ready to get outside together...carefully. We’ve significantly adapted our programs in collaboration with our course physician to mitigate risks associated with COVID-19. To learn more about how we’re addressing health, from both a physical and mental perspective, read our COVID-19 Guidelines for Families and Participants. We will be updating this to adhere to all CDC, State and local requirements.
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- Early Childhood Toddler Teachers. Early Childhood Teacher or Director qualification required.
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Thank you Program Funders
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Thank you City of Boulder Housing and Human Services Department for your grant funding for Children's Alley!
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Thank you City of Boulder Youth Opportunities Program for your grant funding of Latina Achievement Support (LAS).
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Thank YOU for your support!
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Here are several ways to support the YWCA - all without touching your bank account:
- Give from your Donor Advised Fund: If you have a Donor Advised Fund, you have already set aside those dollars to support nonprofits you love. These tumultuous times are the biggest "rainy day" our society has ever experienced. Make a gift today to YWCA Boulder County and your other favorite nonprofits.
- Amazon Smile: Shop at smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to your favorite charitable organization at no cost to you. After logging into your Amazon account, go to Account & Lists, look under My Account to select Your AmazonSmile, and search for YWCA Boulder County. Then, remember to always start your shopping at smile.amazon.com when you purchase from Amazon.
- King Soopers Community Rewards: Earn money for your favorite community organization when you use your loyalty card. Log in or create an account at kingsoopers.com, go to My Account, click Community Rewards along the left menu, and then select YWCA Boulder County.
- Donate your vehicle through Vehicles for Charity: Instead of selling, trading, or storing your vehicle, you can donate your vehicle to the charity of your choice and receive a tax deduction.
- Donate some or all of your state income tax refund through ReFUND: Visit refundwhatmatters.org to learn more and to find the nonprofit registration number to enter on your tax return. When you complete your state tax return, enter registration #20023006070 for YWCA Boulder County.
And, of course, you can also support YWCA with a cash contribution by donating
here.
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Our work would not be possible without the support of passionate individuals and businesses like you, how support our programs and services.
Contact us
to learn more about donating stock or other assets, donating through your employers giving program or becoming an event sponsor.
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