News, Notes, and Announcements from 4Cs of Alameda County, June 2026

News, Notes, and Announcements from 4Cs

June 2026

A Note From Our Chief Executive Officer

Dear 4Cs Community,

As we approach the close of our fiscal year, I am filled with gratitude for the collective impact we have made across Alameda County. This year has been defined by resilience, partnership, and a continued commitment to ensuring that children and families have the resources they need to thrive. From strengthening provider supports to expanding access for families, our work has remained grounded in equity, responsiveness, and community connection.

A recent example of this impact was our Springtime Diaper Giveaway, where we welcomed families to our Hayward office and provided essential supplies to 306 children. Thanks to the dedication of 30 4Cs staff members and the generosity of our partners, families left not only with diapers, wipes, and fresh produce, but also with meaningful connections to critical resources like WIC, CalFresh, and our broader network of parent and provider programs. Moments like these reflect the heart of our mission - meeting families where they are and responding to their needs with care and dignity.

As we look ahead, we remain focused on deepening our partnerships, advancing systems that support early learning and advocating for policies that strengthen families and communities.

Thank you to our staff, board, partners and supporters who make this work possible every day.

Together, we are building a stronger, more responsive system of care for the children and families we serve.

With gratitude,

Takija T. Gardner

Chief Executive Officer

P.S. Families can stay informed about our upcoming giveaways by subscribing to our Parent Newsletter at 4calameda.org/newsletterlist.

Community Spotlight

Caroline Cortezia

4Cs Board Member

Quality Improvement Specialist for Neurosciences at UCSF

The Developing Brain: Why Trauma-Informed Care Starts in Early Childhood

Every child deserves to feel safe, seen, supported, and understood.

Early childhood is one of the most important periods of brain development. During the first few years of life, a child’s brain forms millions of connections that help shape learning, emotional regulation, communication, relationships, and overall well-being. These early experiences matter deeply, especially the relationships and environments children encounter each day.

When children experience stress, instability, or trauma, their developing brains and bodies can remain in a heightened state of alertness. This can impact how they learn, interact, and respond to the world around them. Behaviors such as withdrawal, difficulty with transitions, emotional outbursts, aggression, or trouble focusing are often not simply “bad behavior.” There may be signs that a child is overwhelmed, struggling to feel safe, or trying to communicate needs they do not yet have the words to express.

Neuroscience research continues to show that supportive relationships play a powerful role in helping children build resilience…

News

Clear the Clutter This Summer: Give Kids' Clothes to 4Cs

Summer break is a great time to get rid of those kids' clothes that don't fit anymore, and we can help you pass them along! Generous donations from friends of 4Cs make it possible to provide free clothing and shoes to families who visit our RISE Family Resource Centers in Hayward and Oakland.

At this time, we are happy to accept the following gently-used donations:

• Clothing for babies, toddlers, and children, sizes 3 months through 18 youth

• Shoes for toddlers and children, approx. sizes 8 toddler through 5 youth

At this time, we are not accepting the following used items:

• Adult clothing and shoes

• Socks, underclothing, bibs, or cloth diapers and wipes

• Car seats or booster seats

• Breastfeeding equipment or storage items

• Toys, dolls, or stuffies

• Household items such as sheets, towels, blankets, bottles, decorations, electronics, etc.

Please make sure your donated items are clean with no stains, rips, or holes. Think items you'd be happy to see a friend wear!

To make a donation, please email rise@4c-alameda.org to arrange a drop-off appointment.

Resources

Looking for Child Care, Preschool, Summer Programs, or Before-and-After School Care? We Can Help!

Finding care for your child can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. 4Cs of Alameda County offers free referral services for families in Southern Alameda County, including San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Castro Valley, Hayward, Union City, Newark, Fremont, and unincorporated Alameda County.

Our Referral Specialists provide personalized support to help families:

Find licensed child care, preschool, summer programs, and before-and-after school care that meet their needs
Learn about child care payment assistance and subsidy options
Navigate child care applications and eligibility requirements
Connect with community resources and support services

We believe parents know their families best. Our role is to provide information, guidance, and resources so you can make the choice that works best for your family.

Call our Child Care Referral Line: (510) 244-0506

Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9am-4:30pm and Friday, 9am-12pm

Whether you're just starting your search or need help understanding your options, we're here to help.

Esta en busca de cuidado infantil, preescolar, programas de verano o cuidado para antes y después de clases? ¡Podemos ayudarle!

Encontrar cuidado para sus hijos puede sentirse complicado, pero no tiene que hacerlo sola. 4Cs del Condado de Alameda ofrece servicios gratuitos de referencias para familias en el sur del Condado de Alameda, incluyendo San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Castro Valley, Hayward, Union City, Newark, Fremont y las areas no incorporadas del Condado de Alameda.

Nuestros Especialistas en Referencias brindan apoyo personalizado para ayudar a las familias a:

Encontrar cuidado infantil en proveedores con licencia, preescolar, programas de verano y cuidado antes y despues de clases que se adapten a sus necesidades
Obtener informacion sobre asistencia para el pago de cuidado infantil y opciones de subsidio o pago alternativo.
Navegar y comprender solicitudes de cuidado infantil y requisitos de elegibilidad
Conectarse con recursos comunitarios y servicios de apoyo

Creemos que los padres conocen mejor las necesidades de sus familias. Nuestro papel es brindar apoyo, informacion, orientacion y recursos para que usted pueda tomar la decision que mejor funcione para su familia.

Llame a nuestra Linea de Referencias de Cuidado Infantil: (510) 244-0506

Horario: Lunes a jueves, de 9am a 4:30pm y viernes, de 9am a 12pm

Ya sea que apenas este comenzando su busqueda o necesite ayuda para entender sus opciones, estamos aqui para ayudarle.

正在為孩子尋找托兒服務、學前班、暑期課程或課前課後照顧嗎？我們可以協助您！

為孩子尋找合適的照顧可能會讓人感到壓力山大，但您不必獨自面對。阿拉米達縣4Cs為南阿拉米達縣的家庭提供免費托兒轉介服務，服務範圍包括 San Leandro、San Lorenzo、Castro Valley、Hayward、Union City、Newark、Fremont 以及阿拉米達縣的未建制地區。

我們的轉介服務專員提供個人化支持，幫助家庭：

尋找符合需求的持執照托兒所、學前班、暑期課程及課前課後照顧服務
了解托兒補助與方案選項
指導您完成托兒申請流程以及了解資格要求
連結社區資源與支援服務

我們相信父母最了解自己的家庭需求。我們的角色是提供資訊、指導與資源，讓您能做出最適合您家庭的選擇。

請致電我們的托兒轉介服務專線：(510) 244-0506

服務時間：週一至週四，上午 9:00 至下午 4:30；週五，上午 9:00 至中午 12:00

無論您是剛開始尋找托兒服務，還是需要了解各種選項，我們都樂意為您提供協助。

Featured Event & Training

Food Distribution

Thursday, July 2 | 1pm-3pm

In-Person at Hayward Office (22351 City Center Dr)

Come shop for a variety of food on the first Thursday of every month from 1pm to 3pm at our Hayward Office Garage. We will have dry goods and staples such as beans, rice, peanut butter, canned fruits, and vegetables available for you to take. Please bring a shopping bag!

Due to safety and limited supply pre-registration is required! Click here to register online.