Community Coordinated Care for Children is committed to strengthening our communities and families. It's our belief that every child deserves the right to a bright and successful future. We provide this newsletter as part of 4C’s mission to be a community leader in providing high-quality services that improve the lives of children and families.

4C 5K Fun Run/Walk Fundraiser

Every child deserves the right to a bright and successful future. Research shows 90 percent of a child’s critical brain development happens by age 5, and access to quality early learning experiences helps prepare children to start kindergarten ready to learn. Join us as a participant and/or a sponsor for the 4C 5K Fun Run/Walk on April 22 in Baldwin Park, Orlando. Please support our mission to improve the quality of life for Central Florida’s economically disadvantaged young children and their families enrolled in 4C’s early learning programs by registering to participate or sponsoring our fundraising event, click here. We thank Morgan & Morgan for being the title sponsor for this event.

Child Abuse Prevention Month

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to recognize the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect. Collaboration, prevention services and support help protect children. The Pinwheels for Prevention campaign, held as part of Child Abuse Prevention Month, aims to increase awareness of child abuse prevention efforts. To learn more, click here.

National Infant Immunization Week

National Infant Immunization Week (April 24-30) is a yearly observance highlighting the importance of protecting children 2 years and younger from vaccine-preventable diseases. The annual focus on infant immunizations is an opportunity to educate parents, caregivers, and health care providers on the importance of childhood vaccinations. To learn more, click here.

National Kindergarten Day

Each year on April 21, National Kindergarten Day honors the birthday of the man who started the first Kindergarten. Wilhelm August Frobel (1782-1852) was the founder of kindergarten. He opened his first kindergarten in Germany in 1837. Kindergarten was to be a place where children were guided by a nurturing teacher to develop a thirst for knowledge while also trying to become loving, kind, and conscientious enough to use that knowledge for the good of humanity.

EVENTS CALENDAR



Here are upcoming free, family-friendly events in Central Florida:

Saturday, April 1

Spring Fiesta in the Park, Lake Eola Park, Orlando, 10 a.m.

Easter Egg Hunt, Orlando Fire Museum, Orlando, 10 a.m.

Sunday, April 2

Spring Fiesta in the Park, Lake Eola Park, Orlando, 10 a.m.

Saturday, April 8

Egg-citing Egg Hunt, Central Winds Park, Winter Springs, 9 a.m.

Station 5 Open House, South Orange Avenue, Orlando, 9 a.m.

Easter Egg Hunt, Downtown Historic District, Longwood, 9:30 a.m.

Easter Eggstravaganza, The Ranch, St. Cloud, 10 a.m.

Easter EGGstravaganza, Jeff Triplett Community Center, Sanford, 10 a.m.

Easter in the Parks, Winter Park, 10 a.m.

Easter Eggstravaganza, Bill Breeze Park, Ocoee, 11:30 a.m.

Sunday, April 9

Free Family Funday, Mennello Museum of American Art Museum, Orlando, noon.

Thursday, April 13

Free Movie, Encino Man, Central Park, Winter Park, 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 15

FITT Palooza in the Park, Lake Eola Park, Orlando, 8:30 a.m.

Community Health Fair, Community Building, Longwood, 10:30 a.m.

Saturday, April 22

Central Florida Earth Day, Lake Eola Park, Orlando, 10 a.m.

Saturday, April 29

Art & Foliage Festival, Kit Land Nelson Park, Apopka, 9 a.m.

Sunday, April 30

Art & Foliage Festival, Kit Land Nelson Park, Apopka, 10 a.m.

For more events, check out the 4C Community Calendar, click here.

EARLY LEARNING RESOURCES

School Readiness

The Florida School Readiness Program offers financial assistance to low-income families for early education and care. We are actively enrolling children ages birth to 12 years old. To learn more, click here.

Head Start/Early Head Start

The 4C Head Start and Early Head Start programs promote school readiness and child development for eligible low-income families with children from birth to 5 years old, click here.

Voluntary PreKindergarten

VPK is free of charge to all 4-year-old children in Florida regardless of family income. The high-quality learning opportunity builds a strong academic structure. Now Enrolling. To learn more, click here.

Child Care Resource & Referral

Finding the right child care setting is an important decision. Trained CCR&R Specialists can locate quality child care based on your family’s needs, click here.

Neighborhood Centers for Families

NCF is made up of non-profits, agencies, churches, and groups that work together to provide family-friendly accessible services and activities to Orange County families, click here.

Parents’ Pages

Get tips, strategies, and child development information from the Florida Division of Early Learning monthly newsletter, click here.

Agency Funders

Florida Department of Education | Florida Division of Early Learning

Early Learning Coalition of Orange County | National Office of Head Start

Florida Department of Children and Families | Florida Health

United Way | Orange County Government | City of Orlando

Sign up for the monthly 4C Family Newsletter and you’ll receive timely information about resources and services. You’ll also get a listing of free upcoming family events in Central Florida. To subscribe, click here.

For more information about Community

Coordinated Care for Children, click here.