~May 2026~

Katie's Korner: A message from your PYC Coordinator

Dear early childhood community partners,

Summer is just around the corner and many of you are seeing school years come to a close, whether in your organizations or in your own homes. Promotion ceremonies, final art projects and field trips all signal that we are finishing a season of life.

As we cross the threshold from this season to the next, we open to the possibilities of warm weather, togetherness and outdoor fun. In true Island tradition, the summer is filled to the brim with festivals, story times and family events.

As you enjoy these gatherings, consider supporting the organizations who are bringing this community joy. Whether it is your local librarian, your child's speech therapist or day care provider, your favorite coffee barista or the staff that work hard to keep free and accessible family spaces open, they can always benefit from a kind word and dose of encouragement. Even beyond encouragement, you can volunteer, donate goods or just simply spread the word. Small acts lead to huge impact and ensure that we can keep our community strong and supported.

Read below to find ways to:

• Catch up on meeting notes & shareables
• Fill your summer calendar with community events
• Share resources with the families you serve
• Advocate for your local library
• ...And Be in Community Together!

Warmly,

Katie

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 News & Updates

PYC Membership

Interested in becoming a member of Partners for Young Children Island County? It's simple! Find out more at the link below and simply complete our membership form.

Email Katie with any questions!

May PYC Partners Shared Resources

Have flyers, information or resources to share? Drop in our SharePoint folder!

Spring 2026 Hybrid PYC Partner Meeting Was a Success!

PYC Partners and members of our family-serving resource community came together on Monday, May 11th to learn, share and network on behalf of the early childhood community. This was our second hybrid meeting and first time using an "Owl" conferencing system. We had both in-person and virtual presentations in attendance, making sure we are accessible to our diverse county network. We learned about the library levy, child care center loans, and the various energy assistance programs available to our families.

Click the link below for notes and assets from the meeting. And be sure to join us on October 13th for our next partner meeting! Click here to rsvp.

Join Our Slack Community

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!

Last Month's PYC Programs Report

Help Me Grow Island County Updates & Supports

Email for real-time updates, to add your listing, for questions and to get outreach materials for your families!

Encourage families to Call Help Me Grow at 1(800) 322-2588.

Katie will be contacting resource partners annually for maintenance updates.

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.

PYC Supported Programs

Lantern Parenting Tips

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!

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.

Katie has bookmarks and other outreach materials. Contact her here!

The 2nd Annual Central Whidbey Children's Fair Attracts Many Families for a Day of Fun & Engagement!

Partners for Young Children Island County partnered with Coupeville Library and the Central Whidbey Farmers Market to host the second annual Children's Fair on Saturday, May 16th. Our children's fair was again catered to Central Whidbey families with young children and provided family resource booths, hands-on activities, facepainting and hourly entertainment from Music Together and Eric Ode--and all provided free for our families! We are considering this fair a huge success and will continue the tradition again next year. The weather even cooperated for a fun and sunny day with the kids!

Help Spread the Word!

Follow and share with your networks!

Advocacy & Support Opportunities

Sno-Isle Libraries Ask for Levy Approval Votes

What do you need to know?

Library funding is revisited every several years

Deciding whether to restore the library levy is a normal part of long-term public funding. The last time voters restored the library levy was 2018.

The cap on library funding

Every year, the library levy is only allowed to grow by 1%. This cap helps keep your property taxes stable and predictable.

Rising costs and increased use

Since 2018, Sno-Isle Libraries has carefully managed our budget to serve our community. But costs and use have increased, and our budget can no longer keep up. The 2018 library levy is now at the end of its life.

What happens next?

Voters get to decide:

• Restore the library levy so Sno-Isle Libraries can keep offering the services our community wants

• Reject the proposal to restore the library levy, and Sno-Isle Libraries makes cuts to staff, services, and hours

Click below to read more and spread the word!

Island County Health Updates

Updates on Vaccine Schedules & Recent Legislation

Washington state continues to endorse the immunizations schedule Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule for Ages 18 and Younger from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Last month, the Washington State Legislature passed HB 2242, which ties insurance coverage for immunizations to recommendations from DOH rather than the federal government. The bill was signed into law by Governor Bob Ferguson on March 9, 2026. Requested by the governor, the legislation requires insurers to cover vaccines recommended by the state without patient cost-sharing. The intent of the legislation is to ensure vaccines, and other preventive services remain accessible to the people who live here and want them. DOH has created a new webpage titled Vaccine Recommendations.

Family & Caregiver Supports & Events

ECEAP Registration is Open!

Whidbey Health hosts Baby Resource Expo

Opportunity Council Helps with Energy Assistance Resources

Child Care Business Loans Available

Positively Linked Brings Back Community Cares Health & Wellness Festival

Island County Parent to Parent Provides Education & Supportive Events for Families

Pamoja Place Offers Resources for BIPOC Families

Pamoja Place is an organization dedicated to growing community and a sense of belonging for BIPOC individuals on Whidbey Island.

Do you know any families who have been impacted by recent immigration pressures? Pamoja Place offers immigrant resources and has representatives who can meet people where they are at.

Email at: pamojaplacewhidbey@gmail.com

C-RECC Hosts a Child Care Provider Swap Meet! New Date!

Postpartum Support International Provides Free Online Peer Support Groups

Upcoming Local Family Events

Washington Offers Summer EBT Program!

SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT, is a program that provides a one-time $120 benefit per year to help families buy groceries for their school-aged children when meals aren't available at school during the summer months. Nearly 550,000 Washington children received SUN Bucks over the summer of 2025.

Sign up for text alerts to be notified of SUN Bucks updates, benefit details, important reminders and answers to questions.

For questions about the SUN Bucks program or your benefits, please call the SUN Bucks Contact Center at 833-543-3230 (TTY: 800-833-6348) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday (except observed holidays). Click below for more info and to apply!

South Whidbey C.A.R.E.S. Coalition Provides Free Program for Middle & High School Youth

PYC Island County is a partner with the South Whidbey CARES coalition as a representative from the early childhood sector. Click here to find out more about this community initiative!

Upcoming Sno-Isle Family Events

Storytimes & Family Fun at Oak Harbor Library!

Storytimes & Family Fun at Coupeville Library!

Storytimes for our south end libraries!

Click below for even more family friendly events!

Do you have updates or resources you'd like to share with the broader network?

Fun Reads & New Listens!

PedsDocTalk Podcast

with Dr. Mona Amin

The PedsDocTalk Podcast is a top 30 parenting podcast in the U.S., with new episodes twice a week. One episode is The Follow-Up, where I revisit popular past conversations with fresh commentary and new insights. The other episode may feature expert interviews on child health, development, parenting, and caregiver well-being — or a solo motivational episode where I dive into common struggles and questions parents face. Each episode is designed to cut through the noise and leave you with clarity, confidence, and practical tools for raising kids.