A Note From Our Executive Director |
Dear friend of 4Cs,
For many, summertime provides an opportunity to relax, unwind, and enjoy long warm evenings. While, for many, this is a time to slow down, for 4Cs of Alameda County’s team, summer is a time to gear up for new programming and upcoming trainings, provide supports for families and child care providers preparing for a new school year, and, this year, summertime meant an opportunity to launch a brand new website and welcome new, incredible Board members!
If you haven’t already had an opportunity to visit our new website, please take a look here. Bright, user-friendly, and easy to navigate, we hope our new website helps you and our community members better find information about the programs and services we offer as a family resource agency, discover ways to give and get involved, and easy ways to contact us if you need support. While looking around the site, you may notice the names of our new Board members – we welcomed Armika Berkeley, Melinda Hall, Victor Alterescu, Mark Parinas, Luci Parker, Sritama Sakar, and Ross Theriot to our Board of Directors and are grateful for their passion and dedication to 4Cs’ mission and growth in this new season and throughout the upcoming years.
While here at 4Cs of Alameda County we remain busier than ever, I hope that you find some time this summer to slow down and enjoy family and friends and all that our amazing community has to offer.
Be well,
Renee S. Herzfeld
Executive Director
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Book Distribution Grant Awarded by the
Oakland Literacy Coalition for Summer 2021
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As part of the Oakland Literacy Coalition's ongoing efforts to encourage reading with preschool, elementary, and middle school age children in Oakland, book distribution grants are awarded to community organizations to fund summer reading projects. Our Family Resources Team put together a proposal to provide books about potty training as a graduation gift to the families currently completing our 2020-21 monthly diaper program. On June 30, copies of "Potty" by Leslie Patricelli and "How to Be a Big Kid" by DK Publishing, along with diapers and other supplies, were given to our Oakland families. Other donations made it possible to give the books to families in our Hayward diaper program as well. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Oakland Literacy Coalition in their goals of reaching kids where they are and sparking their love of language, reading, and learning. Check out the Oakland Literacy Coalition's Facebook post sharing the great news.
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A Successful VITA Tax Season |
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Tax Season has closed here at 4Cs and we couldn’t be more happy with our results! During the COVID-19 pandemic, we initiated a new virtual tax system, met with seniors and disabled clients in person for further assistance, and processed 248 tax returns! Our extremely flexible team of 11 volunteer tax preparers have a combined experience of over 50 years and put in 600 hours of their own time to help our community. For next tax season, while we hope to open to in-person tax returns again, we know that we will continue to serve our community under any circumstances. Thank you for being flexible, willing to learn a new way to prepare your tax returns and trusting us to keep your information safe and provide a clean tax return.
Questions? Reach us via email at VITA@4c-alameda.org or phone at (510) 690-2141. We will continue to post updates, including the latest information about the economic impact payments and the child tax credit payments, on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Thank you to our wonderful volunteers, community, and partners at United Way Bay Area and the IRS for supporting VITA. We will see you next tax season!
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According to the Child Care Bulletin (CCB) 21-01, subject to finalization in state statute that will conform to the budget bill authority, which is anticipated to occur very soon, family fees are waived for all Child Care and Development Programs administered by the California Department of Social Services – including 4Cs of Alameda County’s Child Care Payment Assistant programs - from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 4Cs of Alameda County Provider Payment Team notified parents and child care providers and asked providers who provide care for children enrolled in our programs to hold off on collecting family fees for the service month of July 2021. A communication letter will be sent out to parents and child care providers once the budget bill is finalized, and as new guidance is released. For questions or concerns, please contact:
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Vincent Piscar
Manager, Payment
Programs
(510) 470-7860
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Sally Chou
Manager, Payment Programs (South County)
(510) 584-3128
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Mira Djuric
Manager, Payment Programs (Oakland)
(510) 736-2805
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Back to School Backpack Giveaway
Friday, June 30 | 12:00pm-4:00pm
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As parents and children prepare for the school year, 4Cs of Alameda County will be giving away 500 backpacks for transitional kindergarteners, kindergarteners and for elementary school students, as well as books and other supplies to support learning and development. Families will also have the opportunity to choose new and gently-used clothes for school-age kids, teens, preschoolers, toddlers and infants. The backpack giveaway is a free event located in the garage area at 4Cs of Alameda County Hayward Office. Due to safety and limited supply, mask wearing and pre-registration are required! A maximum of 3 transitional kindergarten/kindergarten backpacks and 3 elementary school backpacks per family applies. Sign up for a time slot now! For more information, email Jeanette Calixto, Family Resources Supervisor, at jeanettec@4c-alameda.org.
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Tuesday, July 20 | 11:00am-11:30am
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FREE bilingual (English-Spanish) virtual playgroup program for parents and their children 18 months to 4 years old.
- Un programa virtual GRATUITO de grupo de juego bilingüe (inglés-español) para padres y sus hijos de 18 meses a 4 años.
Saturday, July 24 | 9:00am-12:00pm
- A 4-part series designed especially for child care providers that will cover the effects of various forms of trauma and its impact on the brain and early development.
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Register online or contact Charita Bradshaw, Foster Bridge Family Navigator, at charitab@4c-alameda.org or (510) 736-2798.
Saturday, July 31 | 9:00am-12:00pm
- Trauma 100 part 1 participants will be automatically registered for Trauma 100 part 2.
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Child Care Services Specialist
Full-time
Hayward Office
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Child Care Services Specialist, Provider Services
Full-time
Hayward Office
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Manager, Quality Assurance
Full-time
Oakland & Hayward Offices
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