News, Notes, and Announcements from 4Cs of Alameda County, June 2025

News, Notes, and Announcements from 4Cs

June 2025

Important Note

In light of recent immigration detainment fears, know that 4Cs of Alameda County is safe space for all, including members of our immigrant community. 4Cs clients will never be asked for their immigration status and our agency will protect those we serve to the fullest extent of the law. We stand by our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Commitment Statement with full conviction as we will now, more than ever, “actively create safe, welcoming, and supportive spaces for our employees and clients to thrive.” For more information on immigrant rights, please visit the Alameda County Public Defenders' information page here.

A Note From Our Chief Executive Officer

Dear Friend of 4Cs,

Well over a decade ago, I sat down with the late Supervisor Wilma Chan and other child care champions in Alameda County and we envisioned a county where early care and education was well-funded, accessible, equitable, and viewed by legislators and community members alike as an essential public good. From our thought partnership emerged Measure A and, after the narrowest of defeats, Measure C - a half-cent sales tax designated to specifically cover the costs of care for children. In 2020, Alameda County voters overwhelmingly passed Measure C: The Children’s Health & Child Care Initiative for Alameda County. Fast-forward five years, a successful win in the courts, and hundreds of planning and community input session hours later, and the initial five-year funding and implementation plan has finally been approved by the First 5 Alameda County Commission and Alameda County Board of Supervisors!

The critical final vote, held just last week, is a huge milestone in realizing the vision of so many. I am proud to have helped lay the groundwork of this important work and I am even prouder of the team at 4Cs of Alameda County who, through their work and dedication, will realize the vision of an equitable, accessible, quality, well-funded ECE system for all for many years to come.

Be well,

Renee S. Herzfeld

Chief Executive Officer

Staff Spotlight

Sandra Muñoz

Supervisor, Child Care Payment Programs (Oakland)

“Leaders in the agency believed in my potential when I didn’t even believe it and pushed me out of my comfort to grow.”

In April 2011, Sandra was a new college graduate with two young children. While looking for a job that would support her and her family, she found a receptionist role listed as temporary at 4Cs of Alameda County's Oakland Office. Fast-forward 14 years and three roles later and Sandra now supervises a team of Child Care Services Specialists at that same Oakland office. Working in two different departments and having served families and child care providers for well over a decade, Sandra's passion for connecting families with child care has deepened and she has found a truly fulfilling career at 4Cs. While her raising her own two children, now teenagers, Sandra has played a pivotal role in providing hundreds of children the opportunity to learn and grow as well. She shares she is "beyond happy and blessed to have found a career at 4Cs" and we are also beyond lucky to have Sandra as a leader here at 4Cs of Alameda County!

News

Child Care Provider Funding Available!

Applications are now open for First 5 Alameda County’s Early Care and Education Emergency Grants.

This new funding is designed to help people who provide child care in homes and centers stay open, improve their facilities, buy supplies, pay workers, and more. All eligible applicants will receive funding.

Eligibility

Licensed providers can qualify based on location, or based on accepting subsidies. To receive funding, your program must be licensed in good standing, be open, and remain open in Alameda County with children birth to age 5 enrolled.

Grant funding will begin to go out in July.

Learn more about the grants here and find out if you are eligible for funding here.

All Family/Friend/Neighbor Caregivers (FFNs) who accept payment by voucher or alternative payment agency are eligible. Eligible unlicensed FFN providers do not need to apply and will receive funding directly from their alternative payment agency. Call First 5 today at (510) 227-6964 to find out if you’re eligible as an FFN.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION - ATTENTION: ALL PROVIDERS CARING FOR KIDS ON 4CS CHILD CARE PAYMENT PROGRAMS

INFORMACIÓN IMPORTANTE - ATENCIÓN: TODOS LOS PROVEEDORES QUE CUIDAN A NIÑOS EN EL PROGRAMA DE PAGOS PARA 4CS

重要資訊 - 請注意：所有參與4CS托兒補助付款計劃的提供者

This is to remind you that 4Cs fiscal year ends June 30th, 2025. June 2025 attendance records are due no later than 5 pm on July 3, 2025 to be paid on July 15, 2025. Please note: In order to close our 2025 fiscal year, all attendance records for June 2025 and previous months must be received no later than 5 pm on July 15, 2025. Attendance records received after 5 pm on July 15, 2025 may NOT be reimbursed.

If you have any questions concerning your attendance records, Please contact your Payment Specialist at paymentsvoice@4c-alameda.org.

Esto es para recordarle que el año fiscal de 4Cs termina el 30 de junio de 2025. Las formas de asistencia de junio de 2025 deben entregarse no más tardar de las 5 pm el 3 de julio de 2025 para recibir pago el 15 de julio de 2025. Tenga en cuenta: Para cerrar nuestro año fiscal 2025, todas las formas de asistencia de Junio de 2025 y meses anteriores deben recibirse no más tardar de las 5 pm del 15 de julio de 2025. Formas de asistencia recibidas después de las 5 pm del 15 de julio de 2025 NO pueden serán reembolsados.

Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre sus formas de asistencia, Pofavor de contactar a su especialista en pagos at paymentsvoice@4c-alameda.org.

阿拉米達縣4Cs提醒您，今年財政年度將至 2025 年 6 月 30 日截止。 2025年6月的出勤記錄將在 2025 年 7 月 3 日下午 5 點截止收件，並在 2025 年 7 月 15 日支付。請注意：為了準時結算我們 2024-2025 的財政收支，所有 2025 年 6 月及之前的出勤記錄必須在 2025 年 7 月 15 日下午 5 點之前交回我們的辦公室。在2025年7月15日下午5点之后收到的出勤记录可能无法报销。

如果您對您的出勤記錄交入日期有任何疑問，請聯繫您的托兒服務補助計畫專員paymentsvoice@4c-alameda.org。

Featured Events & Trainings

Hayward Promise Neighborhoods (HPN) Play and Learn for Toddlers

July 8-July 31, 2025

Tuesdays and Thursdays

10:30am-12pm

In-Person at Hayward Office (22351 City Center Drive, Hayward 94541)

Hayward Promise Neighborhoods (HPN) juega y aprende para niños pequeños

8 de Julio - 31 de Julio, 2025

Martes y jueves

10:30am-12pm

En persona en la oficina de Hayward (22351 City Center Drive, Hayward 94541)

We invite you to our HPN's Toddler Play and Learn! Families with children ages 18 months to 4 years old who reside in the Downtown Hayward Promise Neighborhood are welcome to join our bilingual playgroup, Spanish & English, that focuses on fostering their social, physical, and emotional development alongside pre-school readiness and literacy. Have a great time with your child while you learn and engage together! View the flyer here.

To register please click: 4calameda.org/series/hpn-toddler-play-and-learn-juega-y-aprende-de-hpn

This program is intended for families residing in the Downtown Hayward neighborhood who are not using formal early care and education programs.

For more information and eligibility questions, please contact Serena Michel at serenam@4c-alameda.org.

¡Te invitamos a nuestro programa de HPN Juega y Aprende! Las familias con niños de 18 meses a 4 años de edad que residen en el vecindario Promise del centro de Hayward son bienvenidas a unirse a nuestro grupo de juego bilingüe, español e inglés, que se enfoca en fomentar su desarrollo social, físico y emocional junto con la preparación preescolar y la alfabetización. ¡Diviértete con tu hijo mientras aprenden y se involucran juntos! Ver el folleto aqui.

Para registrarse, haga clic: 4calameda.org/series/hpn-toddler-play-and-learn-juega-y-aprende-de-hpn

Este programa está destinado a familias que residen en el vecindario del centro de Hayward y que no utilizan programas formales de cuidado y educación infantil.

Para obtener más información y preguntas sobre la elegibilidad, comuníquese con Serena Michel al serenam@4c-alameda.org.