BANANAS

BANANAS is featured in The Oaklandside article, Oakland child care providers face an uncertain future. The piece examines why the child care industry is facing an outsized hit during the pandemic, and why quality child care is critical for overall economic recovery. Our very own Executive Director Kym Johnson is featured in the story, noting that without adequate child care, there will be no economic recovery. #ChildCareisEssential https://oaklandside.org//oakland-child-care-providers-fac/

Happy Saturday!

The Bunch would like to wish you and your loved ones a Happy New Year!

Our staff would like to give a warm thanks to our community for supporting BANANAS this year! Your donations help us provide families and child care providers with quality workshops, child care referrals, playgroups, and more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEFR0pxkqZQ We have a goal to raise $37,000 this year during our Annual Campaign and have raised $24,741 so far. We can still reach our goal, but we need your help! Click the link below to donate today! https://bananasbunch.networkforgood.com//110368-annual-cam

Though remote learning has brought many challenges, some students seem to be thriving in the new circumstances. In this article from Edutopia, read what can we learn from students who are excelling with virtual learning. https://www.edutopia.org//why-are-some-kids-thriving-durin

Child care is essential in the recovery of our community. Why? Because if you don’t have child care, you can’t go to work. If you can’t go to work, we will continue to see business doors close. Child care matters, and child care is what will allow us to rebuild our community and the businesses that provide us food, clothing, and our essential needs. #childcarematters #childcareisessential #nochildcarenorecovery We are proud to partner with @childrenscouncil in spreading the word: without child care, our communities don’t work.

Happy Saturday! We hope you had a lovely and safe holiday with your loved ones.

We are proud to present our latest Impact Report with you and to say thank you for all of your support. We started the 2019-20 fiscal year strong with the programs our families and providers appreciate and depend on, and introduced new programs and initiatives. We invite you to flip through the pages of the Impact Report where we highlight the work of our child care providers, families, staff, and the early childhood ecosystem that is so important to support strong families and our youngest learners. Click here to read the report! https://www.flipsnack.com//bananas-impact-r/full-view.html

Did you know that childhood stress can affect how our children react to everyday interactions and can last long term? Check out this article from Kids Health that describes the signs and coping mechanisms to reduce stress. What are some things you are doing with your family to ease anxiety this season? Comment below! https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/stress.html

Child Care Providers! COVID relief grants! Applications open Dec 30. https://careliefgrant.com/

Have a good Saturday!

UC Berkeley is interested in learning more about the challenges that families in Oakland may face when enrolling in public schools (district/OUSD and charter school families are welcome). More information is below and in the link. http://tinyurl.com/oaklandpublic

Good news Oakland residents, FREE internet access is coming soon! Oakwifi is a city service that provides free internet access to all residents of Oakland. The service will provide free Wi-Fi to residents, 24 hours a day beginning the start of 2021. To access the Wi-Fi, just go into your Wi-Fi settings, select COO free Wi-Fi and get connected! Check the map to see coverage in your neighborhood. https://www.oaklandca.gov/services/oakwifi

Berkeley Unified Schools are reopening for Pre-K and Elementary school starting this Monday. Please click the link to read the campus safety plan on reopening safely. https://www.berkeleyschools.net//Pre-K-and-Elementary-Scho

¿Le preocupa ahorrar para el fondo universitario de su bebé? ¡Entonces únase a nosotros para el taller Brilliant Baby el martes 10 de noviembre de 6:30 pm a 8 pm! El programa Oakland Promise proporciona a las familias un capital inicial de $ 500 para un fondo universitario, asesoramiento financiero y capacitación para mejorar el desarrollo social y emocional y el bienestar general de la familia. Haga clic en el enlace para confirmar su asistencia. https://bananasbunch.org//brilliant-baby-y-dinero-para-fo/

If you’re thinking of hiring a nanny, then this is the workshop for you! On Sun, Nov 8 from 10 - 11:30 am, please join us for Hiring a Nanny 101! By offering a variety of resources such as tips for hiring and interviewing, establishing wages and a work agreement, how to ensure a fair and safe workplace, and the laws surrounding nanny employment, Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network will set you up with all the tools you need. RSVP here: https://bananasbunch.org/events/hiring-a-nanny-101-3-12-20/

What if you didn’t have the ability to go into your local grocery store and purchase food for your family? Someone is caring for the children of the person stocking the shelves and someone is caring for the children of the person that is bagging your groceries. If they don’t have child care, you don’t have groceries. Child care matters, and it is essential to our community. Without child care, our communities suffer. #childcarematters #childcareisessential #nochildcarenorecovery We are proud to partner with Children's Council in spreading the word: without child care, our communities don’t work.

Happy Halloween from the Bunch! Stay safe and have fun!

If you are a child care center director, center teaching staff, licensed family child care (FCC) provider, and/or a transitional kindergarten (TK) teacher, please participate in the California Early Care & Education Workforce Study. This is a statewide survey that aims to provide comprehensive information on the early care and education workforce, with a focus on the challenges faced by educators and providers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This data will provide a statewide a...nd regional picture of the early educators working with children ages 0-5. By participating in the study, respondents will help the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at UC Berkeley, in partnership with the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network develop a picture of California early educators during an unprecedented crisis. This will additionally help policymakers and community leaders develop effective plans to support the needs of early educators and child care programs. Click the link below for more information. https://cscce.berkeley.edu/topic/workforce-data/ca-study/ En español: https://mcusercontent.com//CA_WFS_flyer_Spanish_10.7.20.pdf

Halloween may feel a bit different this year, but that doesn't mean your family can't celebrate! Check out this article from Insider that provides a few festive examples such as drive-thru trick or treating, decorating inside the house, and more! https://www.insider.com/how-kids-can-celebrate-halloween-sa