First 5 San Joaquin Newsletter

NEWSLETTER | NOVEMBER 2019

First 5 San Joaquin wishes all of our partners and friends a very Happy Thanksgiving!

We're grateful for the many agencies, organizations, and individuals that help to provide critical programs and services to thousands of parents, caregivers, and children every year. And we celebrate the parents and caregivers that strive every day to give their children the best possible start in life!

NOVEMBER IS FAMILY LITERACY MONTH!

National Literacy Month is a great time for families to get into good habits that help children develop a love of books and prepare for school success! S tudies show that reading together can have a profound effect on your child when it comes to learning later on in life. Visit the Early Literacy page on sjckids.org for helpful, downloadable resources.

NEW STUDY ON SAFE SLEEP STANDARDS

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning parents and caregivers about the dangers of popular inclined sleep products for infants. A new study showing that inclined sleepers don't provide a safe sleep environment is part of a growing body of evidence. I nfants should be placed on their back to sleep, and on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet or play yard. Nothing else should be in the crib with the baby. Learn more .

RAISING A COMMUNITY OF READERS

In San Joaquin County, there are a number of First 5 partners working in concert with parents and caregivers to raise a community of readers. Partners like Books for Babes (provides free books to parents of newborns after delivery), Reach Out and Read (integrates reading aloud into pediatric care), Read to Me, Stockton! (distributes free books monthly to Stockton children), and our local public libraries: Stockton-San Joaquin County and Lodi, are making a difference in the lives of children and families every day. Additionally, First 5 partners include Raising A Reader, which is a book bag exchange offered by preschool and home visitation programs, and the Talk. Read. Sing. Draw. Play. Campaign, which equips parents with practical tools and information to help promote daily parent-child engagement.

BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT IN SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

Breastmilk is the best food for babies, especially during the first six months of life. Many mothers want to breastfeed and need support, and other mothers want to breastfeed but are not able. There are several support services and programs offered in San Joaquin County to support a mother's choice to breastfeed. Learn more .

CENSUS 2020 SPOTLIGHT & FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

An estimated five percent of kids under the age of 5 were not counted in the 2010 Census. That's approximately one million young children, the highest of any age group. In 2020, it is crucial to ensure a complete count of children ages 0 to 5 to secure adequate federal funding to support children and families. For every child missed by the census, about $2,000 a year in federal program funding is lost, resulting in a loss to programs that support children: Medi-Cal, Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Head Start, CalFresh (food stamps), housing, public transportation, education, and other programs and services. Visit countallkids.org for helpful resources and Cuenta Con Migo for a funding opportunity to help reach hard-to-count populations. Stay tuned for more resources!