ELC Family News
We're still here for you!
With certain areas of our community beginning to reopen, you may have some questions or concerns about child care or resources available. ELC Broward is still here for you.

Give us a call at 954-377-2188. Also be sure to follow us on our social media platforms: Twitter , Facebook and Instagram .
Sign up for the FREE DOC Preschool Parent Portal
The Early Learning Coalition of Broward County is excited to announced our partnership with the AD Henderson Foundation and DOC Parent Portal to bring families  free virtual learning opportunities  right from your home. The DOC Parent Portal is a web-based program that offers fun educational activities for families at home.
 
You can:
  • Join a virtual preschool classroom led by an ELC Educator
  • See a daily message from the ELC’s education team
  • Explore daily activities with instructions and materials found around the house
  • Share pictures of completed projects

The DOC Parent Portal can be accessed from any smartphone, tablet, or PC with no installations required.
Join us for StoryTime on Facebook Live!
Our virtual StoryTime is still in full swing! Be sure to watch us on Facebook Live on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays at 9 am and 2 pm.

To help reach our diverse families, Monday StoryTime is in English, Wednesdays in Spanish and Fridays in Haitian Creole.
Health & Wellness
What if a child is scared of wearing a mask, or too young to understand not to tamper with it?

If your child is scared of wearing a mask, parents should wear masks too so your child doesn’t feel alone.

Some other ideas to help make masks seem less scary are:
1. While wearing masks, look in the mirror and talk about it.
2. Put a mask on a favorite stuffed animal.
3. Decorate a mask so it’s more personalized and fun.
4. Show your child pictures of other children wearing masks. 5. Draw a mask on their favorite book character.
6. Have your child practice wearing a mask at home first.
For children under 3 years old, it’s best to answer their questions simply in language they understand. If children ask about people wearing masks or other face coverings, parents can explain that sometimes people wear masks when they are sick, and when they are all better, they stop wearing the mask.
An important way to reassure children is to emphasize how you are taking steps to stay safe. Children feel empowered and less afraid when they know what to do to keep themselves safe. For children over age 3, try focusing on germs. Parents can explain that germs are special to your own body and we need to make sure they stay within your body. The masks help keep your own germs to yourself. Some germs are good, some are bad – we can’t always tell which are good or bad, which is why you need to wear a mask. Some germs can make you sick. We to make sure you keep those germs away from your own body.

One of the biggest challenges with having children wear masks relates to them “feeling different” or stereotyping them as being sick. If this becomes more of a norm, it will help children not to feel singled out or isolated, and they may feel strange not wearing something.

For some additional resources, visit The New York Times' Children May Be Afraid of Masks. Here’s How to Help .
Community Resources
FREE Grocery Giveaway Food Distribution
Food distribution will be held on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month from 10 am - 12 pm.

Everyone is welcome. Please bring your bags to carry food.
Upcoming CareerSource Broward Virtual Job Fair
CareerSource Broward announced an upcoming online virtual job fair, which is designed to help connect job seekers with businesses that have immediate hiring needs. 
Upcoming Virtual Job Fair Dates: 
  • Thursday, June 11, 2020 
  • Thursday, June 25, 2020 

All virtual job fairs will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. online (this event will not be held at one of the career centers). There is no cost to participate in the virtual job fair, but registration is required in order to access the event.

For the most up-to-date information, visit  careersourcebroward.com
Pandemic EBT - Florida Department of Children & Families
Florida has been approved for Pandemic EBT or P-EBT. The P-EBT program is a supplemental benefit for households with children who temporarily lost access to free and reduced-price school meals due to pandemic-related school closures. Families eligible to receive free or reduced-priced school meals will automatically receive the P-EBT benefit during the month of June, no further action is needed from recipients at this time. And recipients can get the latest updates regarding P-EBT by visiting the Florida Department of Children and Families website .

Census data impacts funding for things like:
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
  • Rural Rental Assistance Payments Section 8 Housing
  • Choice Vouchers Medicare Part B Children’s Health
  • Insurance Program
  • School Breakfast Program
  • Unemployment Insurance
  • Community Development Block Grants