Community Coordinated Care for Children, Inc. (4C)
Caring for Our Future Today
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is a national initiative that focuses on fostering strong early literacy skills in children, beginning at birth, by encouraging caregivers to read 1,000 books to their child by the time they enter kindergarten. This challenge is for caregivers of early learners, ages birth to 6 years old, who are Orange County residents. To learn more from the Orange County Library System, click here.
FAST Star Early Literacy information, Head Start Awareness Month and more inside the October 2023 edition of the Florida Division of Early Learning Parents’ Pages, click here.
Community Coordinated Care for Children is committed to strengthening our communities
and families. It’s our belief that every child deserves a bright and successful future. We produce
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.
Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month is unique in that it crosses over two months, celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. This time period was chosen because it includes Independence Day celebrations for Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua. Even if your family isn’t from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central or South America, you can still celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Children build respect and curiosity when they learn about other cultures. For eight ways children can celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, click here.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby younger than 1 year old. Most SIDS deaths are associated with sleep, which is why it’s sometimes still called “crib death.” October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month. A safe sleep environment can help reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death, such as suffocation. To learn more, click here.
Head Start Awareness Month
October is Head Start Awareness Month, and it aims to spread awareness about a crucial program that benefits millions of families in the United States. Head Start assists children in low-income families by providing a framework to meet their social, emotional, psychological, nutritional, and health needs. Children are given a boost until the age of 5, easing the pressure on their families. To learn more about Head Start and Early Head Start, click here.
EVENTS CALENDAR
Here are upcoming free, family-friendly events in Central Florida:
Monday October 2
Story Time, Leu Gardens, Orlando, 10 a.m.
Tuesday, October 3
National Night Out, Candyland Park, Longwood, 5:30 p.m.
National Night Out, Downtown Pavilion, Winter Garden, 6 p.m.
Thursday, October 5
Community Resource Fair, Orange County Corrections, Orlando, 9 a.m.
Story Time, Healthy West Orange Arts & Heritage Center, Oakland, 10 a.m.
Hispanic Heritage Celebration, Osceola Heritage Park, Kissimmee, 6 p.m.
Friday, October 6
Mr. Richard Concert, Infusion Tearoom, Orlando, 10 a.m.
Free Movie, The Super Mario Bros., Kissimmee Lakefront Park, 5:30 p.m.
Downtown Street Party, Independence Square, Maitland, 6 p.m.
Saturday, October 7
Family Fishing Event, Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, Winter Park, 7:30 p.m.
Autumn Art Festival, Central Park, Winter Park, 9 a.m.
Fall Family Day, Art & History Museums of Maitland, 10 a.m.
Sunday, October 8
Autumn Art Festival, Central Park, Winter Park, 9 a.m.
Free Family Funday, Mennello Museum of American Art, Orlando, noon.
Tuesday, October 10
Mr. Richard Concert, Chick-fil-A Waterford Lakes, Orlando, 6 p.m.
Thursday, October 12
Free Movie, The House on Haunted Hill, Central Park, Winter Park, 8 p.m.
Friday, October 13
Reeves Center Fall Festival, Reeves Center, Orlando, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 14
OFD Station 9 Open House, Northwest Neighborhood Center, Orlando, 9 a.m.
Avalon Park Oktoberfest, Downtown Avalon Park, Orlando, 5 p.m.
Friday, October 20
Free Movie, Goosebumps 2 – Haunted Halloween, Cypress Grove Park, Orlando, 7 p.m.
Saturday, October 21
Trunk or Treat, Children’s Safety Village, Orlando, 11 a.m.
Halloween Spooktacular, Alafaya Branch Library, Orlando, 2 p.m.
Trunk or Treat, Reiter Park, Longwood, 3 p.m.
Sunday, October 22
Mr. Richard Concert, Barber Park, Orlando, noon.
Tuesday, October 24
YMCA Trunk or Treat, Downtown Orlando YMCA, 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, October 25
Halloween Spooktacular, Washington Park Branch Library, 4 p.m.
Thursday, October 26
Halloween Spooktacular, Southeast Branch Library, Orlando, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 28
Halloween in the Park, Kit Land Nelson Park, Apopka, 10 a.m.
Spooktacular Candy Bash, Goldenrod Recreation Center, Winter Park, noon.
Mr. Richard Concert, Orlando Public Library, 1 p.m.
Fall-o-Ween Festival, Independence Square, Maitland, 5:30 p.m.
Monday, October 30
Halloween Spooktacular, Hiawassee Branch Library, Orlando, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 31
Halloween Spooktacular, Windermere Branch Library, Windermere, 4 p.m.
For more events, check out the 4C Community Calendar, click here.
PUBLIC LIBRARY OPPORTUNITIES
Local public libraries offer a variety of events such as story times. Use these links to learn more about the offerings available to your family:
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.
Sign up for the monthly 4C Family Newsletter alerts and other timely
information about resources and services. To subscribe, click here.
Now enrolling Head Start and Early Head Start a free early childhood education program. Access online application with QR Code or visit us on Walk-In Wednesday.
Tips for Talking with your Preschooler, Tips for a Successful School Year and more inside the September 2023 edition of the Florida Division of Early Learning Parents’ Pages, click here.
Florida’s Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday starts Saturday, Aug. 26. Consumers can purchase qualifying disaster preparedness supplies exempt from state sales tax during the 2023 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday. The sales tax holiday extends through Friday, Sept. 8.
Examples of qualifying items:
For information and answers to frequently asked questions, click here.
Savor sweet summertime, find out what your local Child Care Resource & Referral program does for families, learn how to support teachers through T.E.A.C.H. and more inside the August 2023 edition of the Florida Division of Early Learning Parents’ Pages, click here.
Come join 4C Head Start for an awesome enrollment event. Learn about our FREE Early Head Start and Head Start Program, including Pregnant Moms support program. Our programs are 100% FREE for birth to 5 years old! This is the event you have been waiting for. 😊
Thank you to our partners who are hosting the event: Teen Transitional Outreach Program along with Our Father’s House.
🎉 Get ready for an amazing Back to School event on Sunday, August 20, 2023! 📚✏️ Join us for a day of fun, food, giveaways, and school supplies as we gear up for the new school year. 🍔🥤
🎒 FREE Book Bags: Make sure your kids don’t miss out on their essential back-to-school gear! Book bags will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis. Only one backpack per child, so make sure your little ones are there to claim theirs! 👧👦
🎁 Exciting Prizes: Participate in our giveaways and get a chance to win awesome prizes! 🏆🎁
👨👩👧👦 Family Fun: Bring the whole family along! Children must be present, accompanied by an adult/guardian, to receive their book bags. Let’s celebrate the new school year together! 👪📚 Mark your calendars and join us at The Majestic Event Center 801 N. John Young Parkway, Orlando, from noon to 2 p.m. Let’s make this back-to-school event a memorable one! See you there! 👋🎈
It’s important to have a well-stocked emergency supply kit in case an emergency occurs. If basic services are not available, or if you must leave an unsafe space, you will need to have supplies ready for your child care program. It’s recommended to have a portable kit, as well as one that has enough supplies for a longer period. To learn more about emergency supply kits from Child Care Aware of America, click here.
Make Summer an Adventure, Help your Child Grow Inside and Out, Head Start Summer Checklist and more inside the July 2023 edition of the Florida Division of Early Learning Parents’ Pages, click here.