Lifelines for Poor Children

Feeding America-The Impact of Hunger

Narrowing the 30 Million Word Gap

Language-Gap Study Bolsters a Push for Pre-K

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                                            March 2014

Here are a few ideas on how you can engage in this important initiative in your community: 

Businesses can post Pinwheels for Prevention™ campaign messages on their outdoor marquee sings, display campaign flyers in their store windows, display the campaign poster on their employee bulletin boards.

Schools can include articles on healthy child development and ideas for positive parent-child interaction in newsletters.

Faith-based organizations can sponsor support groups for parents, offer classes on parenting and child development or provide members with ideas about how they can be good neighbors.

Civic groups can set up pinwheel gardens and distribute campaign flyers, posters or information on community resources to libraries, grocery stores, banks, shopping centers.

Law enforcement officials can provide neighborhood and online safety presentations for businesses, schools and religious or civic organizations.

Media outlets can provide their audiences with feature stories on community programs that are having a positive impact on children and families while encouraging businesses to adopt family-friendly business practices. 

The ELCOC's Food Security Task Force had an active March, celebrating National Nutrition Month with a "FIVE to THRIVE" food drive, targeting age-appropriate foods for babies and toddlers. ELCOC board members and staff collected baby/toddler food items and cash to maximize efforts. In addition, National Nutrition Month professional development trainings were offered to child care providers, including trainings on food allergies, gardening with young children and understanding the USDA food program. 

Community members interested in supporting the vision of the Food Security Task Force are encouraged to remember the special needs of babies and toddlers during the National Letter Carriers' Food Drive in May.  Please  BOGO: "Buy One, and GIVE One" to support the food drive.

Central Florida food banks report that food items for babies and toddlers go very quickly from their shelves, indicating a strong community need for these items.

For more information, click here.

Click here to watch video featuring our PKZ Baby Institute

The Parramore Kidz Zone Baby Institute supports parents with children ranging from birth to 5-years-old residing in the Parramore Heritage Community.

The nine-week research-based program is designed to help parents of young children build skills that result in knowledge-based parenting which leads to better school readiness outcomes for children.