September is National Hispanic Heritage Month, a month to celebrate and recognize the histories, cultures and contributions of people whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. This celebration begins September 15 -- the day of independence for several countries in Latin America -- and ends October 15.

Since the very beginning of Triple P in Elkhart County back in 2015, we have made an effort to ensure all of our parent-empowering interventions and print materials are available in Spanish for our Hispanic neighbors who feel more comfortable communicating in their native language. We have done our best to reach Hispanic parents of all backgrounds across Elkhart County, and we know we know we still have more work to do. We are proud to have many trained practitioners at organizations and schools across the county who have Hispanic heritage. All of this to say we are happy to celebrate this month with our friends! ¡Triple P es para todos los padres!

We would also like to take this opportunity to once again thank our partners at Beacon Community Impact for their generous support of our efforts to reach Hispanic families. Beyond just financial considerations, Beacon also hosts Triple P events every month at its Elkhart Health & Aquatics Center in downtown Elkhart in both English and Spanish. This month, we begin a series of Stepping Stones seminars for parents of children with developmental disabilities. We hope you will join us in either language on September 19 for The Power of Positive Parenting for Children with a Disability.

Check out that event and more below in our upcoming events calendar, and read on for the latest Triple P news!

Bring the family to an afternoon of art, local vendors, food trucks like Hotdogeddy’s and Tropicana Ice Cream Shop and more during a market to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from noon to 5 p.m. at the Elkhart Public Library main branch downtown! Hang around for the free Curbside Concert at 7 p.m. with Grupo Renacer, Los Ortega, and Rica Obsesion.

Triple P in Elkhart County will be there as a community organization with some giveaways and information about Positive Parenting Program in English and Spanish. Other vendors include Mina’s Designs, Aspeitia Damien Candle, Yeliz Creations, Essence Aurelina Spa, and Loro Verde Imports. Local artists are showing their work inside the library and there will be games of lotería for the kids and family, too.

Click here to learn more about the event and save it to your calendar. We hope to see you there!

Check us out at the Elkhart Sister Cities Hispanic Heritage Festival Sept. 30 at Central Green!

Elkhart will be paying tribute to its Mexican sister city, Apan, Hildalgo, at its Hispanic Heritage Festival starting at noon Saturday, Sept. 30, downtown at the Central Green park. Triple P in Elkhart County will be there!

This free family event will feature games, activities, food trucks, live music, local vendors, and a beer tent for grown-ups. We hope to see you there for this citywide celebration!

Focus on school and more with Triple P presentations this September!

Watch TriplePElkhartCounty.org for the latest events!

• Advocacy Links for parents of children with disabilities (and parents with disabilities): Advocacy Links is an Elkhart-based organization "dedicated to finding resources and filling the gaps in or between services for individuals with varying levels of ability, regardless of age or funding stream." Visit and bookmark the Advocacy Links website for resources, upcoming events, and more.

• Beacon Health & Fitness community calendar: You don't need a membership to take advantage of open gym, pickleball, swimming, and other activities for community members at The Commons at the health and aquatics center in downtown Elkhart. Check their online calendar for an always-updated list of upcoming fitness and wellness options. And don't forget to check our calendar for details about the next monthly Triple P workshop in English and Spanish at the center.

• Body safety for children: CAPS offers resources for teaching children body safety. Click here to visit their resource page.

• Brighter Futures Indiana: Check out this resource to find social, economic, educational, career training, and health resources in your area and across the State of Indiana (available in English and Spanish). Click here to visit.

• Elkhart County Blue Sheet: Download this PDF with useful community resources for families, available in English and Spanish. Click here to view or download it.

• Public gym hours at Grace Community Church: Looking for a place to work out for free? Grace Community Church offers free use of their exercise facility at their Goshen campus, 20076 C.R. 36, to the public. Options include gym (evening basketball: 6-6:30 p.m. parent/child shootaround; 6:30-8:30 p.m. pick-up games), ladies fitness room, cardio equipment, walking track, weight room, and locker rooms for your convenience. Open gym hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday each week, 6-8:30 a.m., 11 a.m.-1 p.m., and 6-8:30 p.m. Children 13 and younger must be accompanied by an adult to open gym.

• InSource Special Education Parent Support: This PDF sheet contains links to numerous resources and contacts for parents of school-age children with disabilities, including videos, newsletters, translation and interpretation services, help with school case conference meetings and more.

• Monique Burr Foundation: This organization offers free anti-bullying resources for parents, caregivers, educators and others. Click here to visit their resource page.

• Pro-bono mental health counseling available: Mental Health Awareness of Michiana coordinates a network of mental health professionals who offer free counseling services for individuals, couples, and families who do not have insurance and cannot otherwise afford mental health care. Click here to view an informational flyer about how to qualify, or how to volunteer for the network if you are a mental health professional.

• Resources for parents of children with disabilities: Elkhart Community Schools has resources for parents and caregivers of school-age children with developmental disabilities. Click here to view or download an informational flyer in English. Click here for the same information in Spanish.

• Resources for LGBTQ parents and parents of LGBTQ children: The LGBTQ Center offers parent support groups, PFLAG, and other resources to help LGBTQ families connect, learn from one another, and grow. The center's purpose is to see a community where every individual is valued, respected, and empowered.

• Self-Healing Communities of Greater Michiana: S-HC is built to help individuals, families, organizations, and communities understand how mental health and brain development creates the foundation for resilience when times are tough throughout people's lives. Learn more at the organization's new website.

We have an online library of Triple P tip videos in English and Spanish! Subscribe to our YouTube channel and our Facebook to see the latest.

We recently created a playlist of brief videos and audio recordings on topics related to back-to-school for parents of children of all ages, and you can check that out here!

¡Hemos comenzado nuestra serie de videos de consejos de Triple P en línea en español! Suscríbete a nuestro canal de YouTube y a nuestro Facebook para ver las últimas novedades.

Contact Triple P: [email protected] or call at (574) 226-0160.