Construction is almost done! Our new classrooms are almost ready to receive little ones and our existing classrooms are looking spiffy! Things are still on schedule for opening our 24 additional permanent care spots next month. We are so excited to provide the same drop-in care YWCA Boulder County has always provided, plus new permanent care with flexible scheduling.

Start the enrollment process today to secure spots for permanent care starting in September 2020. We will offer permanent child care for children ages eight weeks to 4 years old.

Visit our website and fill out our Interest Form to sign up for an Info Session, be notified of Virtual Tours (coming soon!), and begin the enrollment process today.

For additional questions, please email Kate Hise at: khise@ywcaboulder.org.

We would love to start collecting photos of our currently enrolled children with their families to display in our classrooms. Children really enjoy seeing their loved ones throughout the day, and showing their families to their friends. If you have a family photo (or photos of individual family members or other special individuals in your child’s life) please send them in! All photos can be brought into school to be copied or emailed to Griffin at gmckeague@ywcaboulder.org 

Thank you for helping us create a welcoming and inclusive environment for our Persimmon Early Learning students! 

Over the past week there have been big changes to each of our existing classrooms! Each room received cosmetic repairs, a fresh coat of paint, and new room arrangements. In addition, our toddler and preschool classrooms had the large wooden lofts taken down, which has created a lot of extra space. 

Since we are currently unable to invite families into the classrooms, we are excited to share these wonderful updates with you through our newsletter!

You can see what activities we provide, access our activity calendars, menus, current growth in the garden, fun cooking videos for recipes you can cook with your family, resources, and a list of our current partnerships!

We would love to include more photos/testimonials of families cooking, exploring the garden, or implementing fitness activities at home. If you wish to share photos or testimonials, please email our Wellness Program Coordinator Tori Anderson at: tori@ywcaboulder.org.

These are easy recipes you can make for snacks or meals. Get your kids involved in the kitchen! Kids learn so much by participating in hands-on learning. If they can help prepare new foods, they are more likely to try it!

Farm to ECE has partnered with many local farms to bring fresh produce to numerous childcare centers in Boulder County. This season we receive food from Ollin Farms, who bring us weekly boxes of fresh and delicious local produce. We are thankful that we get to support our local farms and give the children opportunities to try new, fresh produce. It is very fun investigating new foods with them. Based on the amount left over each week, we also make “veggie goodie bags” to send home with some families.  

Click here to learn more about Ollin Farms.

We have started receiving Boulder Food Rescue donations again! Every Monday at 8 am we get food from local stores that would otherwise be thrown away. We make sure to sort through it due to the variety of age and edibility of the food given. Please take a look at what is available in the lobby when you stop by! 😊 

Click here to learn more about Boulder Food Rescue.

Farm to Early Care and Education Harvests of the month are:

The word “zucchini” comes from the Italian zucchino, meaning a small squash. The term squash comes from the Indian skutasquash meaning “green thing eaten green.” Zucchini is technically a fruit, although it's treated and widely referred to as a vegetable.

The health benefits of zucchini include improved digestion, slows down aging, lowers blood sugar levels, supports healthy circulation and a healthy heart, improves eye health, boosts energy, benefits for weight loss, improves thyroid and adrenal functions, protects against oxidation and inflammation.

Adapted from http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-zucchini/

Did you know peach trees produce fruit for about 12 years?! And each year a tree can produce up to 66 pounds of fruit! It has 3 different flesh colors: white, yellow/orange, and less common red. In the United States, yellow is the most common. 

Peaches have a lot of vitamin C and A and may protect against certain types of cancers, aid in skin health, heart health, and digestion. 

Adapted from: https://aghires.com/15-facts-about-peaches/

4 summer squash 

½ c veggie mixture (diced bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, black beans as desired) 

¼ c shredded cheese (any good variety that melts well), plus more to sprinkle on top. 

2 tbsp parsley (you can use other spices such as cumin, oregano, or garlic as desired. 

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

2. Wash and slice squash lengthwise, scoop out insides, and add them to the veggie mixture. You should have 8 “submarines”. 

3. Sauté veggie mixture in olive oil and allow to cool. Then add the herbs, cheese, and the salt and pepper to taste. 

4. Place the “submarines” on a baking sheet and allow the children (if you want them to help) to scoop the mixture into each squash. Sprinkle more cheese on top once each is filled. 

5. Place in oven for 15 minutes or until all the cheese is melted. Allow it to cool for 5 minutes and then serve! 

Flexible corporate sponsorships are also available! Please contact Robyn Hazlitt at rhazlitt@ywcaboulder.org.