Katie's Korner: A message from your PYC Coordinator | | |
Happy summer to our wonderful PYC Partners!
Everywhere I look this summer, there is beauty. Beautiful things, sure, but also beautiful people doing beautiful work. This is what I'm choosing--to notice. If you stay present, you'll see that there is so much care in the world. People care deeply about each other. People care about the elderly, the unhoused, the hungry, our young children and our environment. I am making a good effort to not get lost in the noise, stay here, in the present, in our community. Will you join me?
"Life is brutal, but it's also beautiful. Life is Brutiful." ~Glennon Doyle
Read below for opportunities to:
- Join our PYC Partners In-Person Meeting & Social Hour
- See what our collaborative has achieved so far this year
- Help other community resources with needed outreach
- Attend community events
- Offer your families support
- Apply for new funding opportunities
Warmly,
Katie
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Partners for Young Children (PYC) is a coalition focused on improving the wellbeing of children and families in Island County.
Through PYC, Island County organizations and individuals come together to achieve the vision that all children thrive in nurturing relationships and healthy families. Together, partners are cultivating community action to strengthen Island County families.
| | PYC Membership Survey Results! | | |
Thank you to everyone who was able to fill out our membership survey. The results were very helpful. Some highlights from the feedback are below, but we want to officially announce we will be going ahead with a semi-formal membership process beginning in September. We will be emailing out a membership sign-up form to all our current partners. Do not panic! Your organization will have plenty of time to respond and ask questions. The bonus is once we have your forms, we will be able to add your logos to our website and officially help to use our sharing platforms to boost your outreach. Please be on the lookout for those forms!
Survey Results
- The top benefits of membership were Networking, Information sharing and Resource sharing, with 38% of you choosing all of the above.
- 83% of you were in favor of a more formalized membership.
- All respondents are able to commite to 50% attendance at partner meetings annually.
- The top membership benefits chosen were: logos on our PYC website, organizational promotion on social media and coalition trainings & professional development.
| | PYC Has a New Blogspace!! | | |
You probably saw our youth services call to action, "Whidbey Children Need Our Support", co-written with Whidbey Community Foundation. We have heard wonderful feedback from the community and a lot of your neighbors have written us asking how they can get involved in your organizations.
We've decided to host a guest blog on our PYC website, where we encourage anyone who would like to get more visibility for their current needs to send us your stories. You can simply email to pyc@whidbeyfoundation.org and we will gladly get the word out! In the meantime, check out our first blog if you have not already. You can find it here.
| | July PYC Partners Shared Resources | | Have flyers, information or resources to share? Drop in our SharePoint folder! | | Join us for our Quarterly Partners Meetings | | Join us for an in-person PYC Partners meeting in September! Bring the whole office! | | Not able to attend our last partners meeting? Click below for the notes and links! And thank you again to those who came and brought such engaging conversation and feedback. | | Sign up for our new PYC Slack Channel! You'll find it under the (also new) Whidbey Community Foundation Slack. Ask questions, share resources, and interact in real-time with other early learning partners in our community! | | Bright By Text Is Now Lantern | | | | |
Same service, new shiny look!
If you are a provider who does Lantern outreach, please know that you may use your remaining Bright by Text materials. All numbers, qr codes, and links still apply.
Let Katie know if you need more materials. We have new postcards!
| | Lantern tailors three to five weekly text messages to caregivers, providing evidence-based content on developmental milestones, brain growth, emotional health, nutrition, and resilience. | | Does your organization have a community message to share with local parents? Submit your messages here and we will help get the word out! | | |
Resource Directory - Update & Launch Date Re-Announcement!
"This is your friendly PYC Coordinator reporting that the hard launch of the resource directory will be delayed until September 1st. I CAN report that our website is built, is working on the local level as anticipated and we have moved into the testing phase! You may hear from me in the next week or so to see if you could do us the giant favor of testing our website with your staff and families. Your user feedback is crucial to make sure this is a directory that works for our island families. As always, thank you for your patience and input!"
~Katie
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In the meantime, you can still encourage your families to Call Help Me Grow at 1(800) 322-2588
As always, if you have any updates to your current resource listings, please email Katie at pyc@whidbeyfoundation.org.
Help Me Grow - Island County is a dependable and interconnected system that puts families first – making sure resources are accessible to every child and every community.
| | Vroom Brain-building Tips | | |
Partners for Young Children is excited to offer another unique and FREE parenting tool being sponsored through Washington Communities for Children (WCFC).
Vroom provides science-based tips and tools to inspire families to turn shared, everyday moments into Brain Building Moments® through printed resources, a text service, and a free mobile app. . Click below for more information as well as ways to engage with this incredible resource!
| | We can order Vroom outreach materials for your organization. Contact Katie for more info! | | Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Whidbey Island | | |
Imagination Library of Whidbey Island—a local program partner of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, strives to send a new book every month to Whidbey Island children from birth to age five.
We know many of you have heard that funding for the imagination library was not supported by the new biennial state budget. We can now announce that Washington's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has agreed to pick up the 50% match that was previously provided by the state through end of fiscal year 2026!! We are so glad that this crucial program will continue to be supported and grateful to our community for supporting with donations and outreach. Don't hesitate to contact PYC for more outreach materials for this great program.
| | Katie has bookmarks and other outreach materials. Contact her here! | | Advocacy & Support Opportunities | | Whidbey Homeless Coalition in Need of Outreach Support | | |
Our local emergency shelter provider is looking for public support in a financial shortfall. The coalition, which operates The Haven, a year-round night-to-night shelter, and House of Hope, a 90-day shelter for families and single adults, is the only provider of overnight shelter services in Island County. To learn more, visit the Whidbey Homeless Coalition website at whidbeyhomeless.org. In addition, they are asking for a trash compactor donation to help reduce their costs. Please help spread the word in your networks for this vital service that helps our Island County neighbors and families.
| | House Bill 1550 Makes Enrollment More Complicated for Coupeville's Transition to Kindergarden Program | | |
Changes to the rules on who qualifies for the Transition to Kindergarden Program will make it more difficult to find families in need in the Coupeville area. To enroll, a child must be at least four years old by Aug. 31, pass a screening, reside within the Coupeville School District and never have participated in a formal early learning program.
“Our struggle is getting families that are qualified to enroll. And so that is our hope, is trying to spread awareness that we do have this TTK in Coupeville, however there’s certain requirements that we are absolutely committed to following this year,” Principal Eric McColl said.
Please help them spread the word that the program is continuing to accept children.
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C-RECC Announces Potential Island County Facility Interested in Leasing Space for Childcare Programs!
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Facility Opportunity Island County
Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship is looking to fill a space on their property and is interested in leasing the space to a child care provider. This space was previously used by ECEAP and served 20 students. Minor renovations are needed to make the space licensable and funding may be available.
Quick Details:
• 1,050 sq ft of dedicated child care space
• 350 sq ft of office space
• Located in Coupeville, WA
• Large and fenced outdoor play area
• Great outdoor space designed to support outdoor learning and discovery
• Looking to fill the space ASAP!
If you or someone you know is interested in this space, please reach out to info@creccnw.com for more information.
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Families at the HEART will allocate funding to established therapeutic and/or somatic models which center the wisdom, experiences, and strengths of prenatal-to-age-3 families who have been historically marginalized, especially Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and those impacted by trauma. There must be a demonstrated demand for the model from families and communities and a clear vision for growth and expansion. The model must be supported by at least two funding sources for at least two years and have at least two cycles of data, preferably three.
Families at the HEART will not fund direct service or programs, promotion or primary prevention models, universities or academic institutions directly, capital expenditures, or models that have previously received Perigee funding for model implementation or expansion.
We encourage applications from across all U.S. geographies, including rural, urban, and tribal communities, to ensure diverse regional representation.
| | Workshops, Trainings & Events | | Washington State Department of Health/Island County Public Health Events & Information | | Educator & Parenting Workshops Through Sno-Isle | | |
The Incredible Years ® Baby Parenting series
Thursday, September 18, 2025
12:00pm-2:00pm
Snohomish Library
Join us for an 8-week series to bond with your new baby, grow your caregiving skills and build community with other parents and caregivers. Food will be provided for caregivers at each session.
Sessions are on Thursdays 12:00-2:00pm, September 18th - November 6th. Registration for the first session is required to attend.
Presented by Camille Hereth, BA, CC, CPE a mental health counselor trained in perinatal mood disorders and certified parent educator.
Car seat safety checks are also included for class participants.
| | Two Locations to Choose From for National Night Out! | | National Night Out if coming up on Tuesday, August 5th from 4-7pm and you have two locations to choose from on the island. National Night Out (NNO) is an annual event in early August. NNO is a unique crime/prevention event involving citizens, law enforcement, and emergency personnel. See the flyer for South Whidbey's event below and click for more info on the Oak harbor event. Family friendly activities and lots of community fun! | | Family & Caregiver Supports | | Island County Public Health's HIYI Program Offers Scholarships for Activities | | Island County Public Health offers the HIYI initiative. HIYI Scholarships can be requested to cover registration fees, equipment vouchers, and other expenses that are a barrier to a child/youth pursuing an organized physical activity anywhere throughout Island County. The HIYI Scholarship Program provides assistance to children and youths from low-income families who are not currently being served by an existing scholarship or fee waiver program. To apply for a physical activity scholarship, please complete and submit the printable application. | | Opportunity Council Can Help With Vehicle Expenses | | Did you know that Opportunity Council's D.R.I.V.E. program can help a family acquire a car seat? Contact them for more information! | | Upcoming Sno-Isle Family Events | | Storytimes & Family Fun at Oak Harbor Library! | | Storytimes & Family Fun at Coupeville Library! | | Storytimes & Family Fun at Langley & Freeland Library! | | Storytimes & Family Fun at Clinton Library! | | Click below for even more family friendly events! | | Macaroni Kid Whidbey Island Announces July Family Guide to Events | | Macaroni Kid is your free, go-to guide for all family events happening on Whidbey Island. Click on the family guide below, or explore on your own here! | | | Do you have updates or resources you'd like to share with the broader network? | | |
I Am One Podcast
This month's recommendation is for the kiddos from a mom (Katie) who spent a lot of time in the car with their little ones.
About the Podcast
The Family Road Trip Trivia Podcast is the brainchild of Jude, Wyatt and Gigi Gibbons. Three siblings from Ohio who love trivia, traveling, and relentlessly competing with each other.
Together, with their mom and host, Brittany, they invite friends of all ages to accept the ultimate three round trivia challenge every Friday.
Whether it’s pop culture, science, video games, or Disney; their depth of knowledge is endless, and just like The Goonies, when it comes to trivia the Gibbons’ kids never say die!
So study up, tune in, and play along in the car with The Family Road Trip Trivia Podcast!
More episodes like this at: Family Road Trip Trivia Podcast
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Questions? Contact us at PYC@whidbeyfoundation.org
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