First5la.org To submit comments, or to suggest items for this newsletter or First5LA.org, contact Katie Kurutz, public affairs officer, at kkurutz@first5la.org or (213) 482-5902. Calendar Click events below to view full listings. Open heARTS Tour: Free Arts for Abused Children July 13, 2010 from 11:30am - 12:30pm CARES Plus Program: Public Input Forum July 14, 2010 from 9:00am - 1:00pm Assisting Mothers to Successful Baby Led Latching July 16, 2010 from 9:00am - 4:00pm Application Due: 2010 Social Innovation Fast Pitch July 19, 2010 U.S. Department of Education Reading Institute July 19-21, 2010 day long/half day Navigating the Maze: Finding Your Way to Successfully Opening a Child Care Center July 28, 2010 from 8:30am - 12:00pm Becoming a Mom/Comenzando bien® Training July 28-29, 2010 all day Clinical Updates for Health Care Providers August 3, 2010 from 9:00am - 4:00pm All for the Love of Kids, 15th Annual Awards Dinner and Fundraiser August 4, 2010 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm Women in Conversation: Celebrating Diversity August 17, 2010 from 8:30am - 3:00pm Open heARTS Tour: Free Arts for Abused Children August 17, 2010 from 7:00pm - 8:00pm 15th International Conference on Violence, Abuse & Trauma September 12-15, 2010 all day Breastfeeding and Beyond September 16, 2010 from 9:00am - 4:00pm Save the Date for Strive to Thrive: Building Systems that Care for Birth to Fives February 3-4, 2010 day long	July 12, 2010 News and Announcements Place-Based Funding Forum Offers Perspective and Insight More than 150 professionals from local nonprofits, universities and philanthropic organizations gathered to hear four panelists discuss place-based funding at a Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs forum. More » Models in Place-Based Funding Lawrence CommunityWorks Turns Blight into Rebirth Lawrence CommunityWorks has revitalized the city of Lawrence, Mass. by taking a place-based approach to transform Lawrence's physical, social and economic landscape. More » Social Wellness Month Volunteerism in the USA - Promoting Children's Well-being Throughout U.S. History Since the dawn of our nation's history, volunteers have built bridges, reform movements and global relief agencies to address the needs of children. More » State Budget Update Budget Delay Threatens Child Care Centers California marked the start of its new fiscal year on July 1 without actually passing a budget, which poses problems for many service providers in California, including state-subsidized child care centers. More » Evie's Desk  Vitamin D, Sunbathing and Kids Basking in the sun used to be one of my favorite ways to spend a summer day. But with increased reports about skin cancer, I am much more conscious of using sunscreen and staying away from potentially harmful rays. Now, I am hearing more and more about vitamin D deficiency as a result of our cultural shift away from spending time in the sun. Last year CNN reported that 70 percent of American kids aren't getting enough vitamin D, which is naturally produced through sun exposure and, among other things, helps bones better absorb calcium. For children, vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets which is a softening of the bones. Adults can also experience a range of problems if deficient in vitamin D including increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment in older adults and cancer, according to WebMD. I checked out what the American Academy of Pediatrics had to say on the matter, and came across the following guidelines (please note I shortened them, but you can see the full document by clicking here): Breastfed and partially breastfed infants should be supplemented with 400 IU/day of Vitamin D beginning in the first few days of life. Supplementation should be continued unless the infant is weaned to at least 1 L/day or 1 qt/day of Vitamin D-fortified formula or whole milk. All nonbreastfed infants, as well as older children, who are ingesting 1000 mL/day of vitamin D-fortified formula or milk, should receive a vitamin D supplement of 400 IU/day. Other dietary sources of vitamin D, such as fortified foods, may be included in the daily intake of each child. Pediatricians and other health care professionals should strive to make vitamin D supplements readily available to all children within their community, especially for those children most at risk. Dr. Michal L. Melamed, assistant professor of medicine and population health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University co-published an article about vitamin D deficiency in the Archives of Internal Medicine, where she recommends the following: "People with low vitamin D levels can be advised of the need to raise them, which is easily done using supplements, eating certain foods and fortified dairy products, or getting as little as 15 minutes of exposure to the sun's vitamin-D producing ultraviolet rays." Whether you support your child's health with supplements or a little bit of sun, I recommend that all parents and caregivers remain aware of this new and growing problem. Links  1. Funding Opportunities at First 5 LA 2. Click Here to take Survey 3. First 5 LA Parent Helpline 4. Employment Opportunities 5. First 5 LA's Parent Program: Ready. Set. Grow!

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