HEAR FROM OUR STAFF FOR AOK UPDATES

Dear Jessica,

On behalf of our entire team here at All Our Kin, we want to wish you a very happy and healthy holiday season! We hope you spend this special time safely surrounded by loved ones, and enjoying the stillness that the holidays bring.

What a year this has been! This past year has been full of exciting growth and transformative opportunities for family child care. As we approach the end of 2021, I am so grateful for each of you and the endless ways that you show up for children, families and our AOK team. Thank you for all that you do!

In the spirit of good news — Back in October, State Senator Brisport visited All Our Kin’s own, Isaura Matos of Little Giants Group Family Day Care in the Bronx. Over 100 educators and parents from the Bronx joined a virtual listening session to tell the Senator what changes need to be made in our child care systems. We are happy to share that your voice was heard! Senator Brisport has issued a report centered on the voices of parents and educators, and has introduced universal child care legislation that would increase educator pay and make child care more accessible for families. We look forward to the developments of this bill.

Sadly at the federal level this weekend, we saw the Build Back Better legislation stall in the Senate, because of the callousness, ruthlessness, and greed of some members of Congress. However, this is not over. All across the country, we are seeing a newfound recognition of the critical importance of care. One man, or a handful, cannot derail this movement. In 2022, we will find a way to get child care educators, children, and families, the funding, respect, and support that they deserve.

We look forward to a positive and impactful 2022 and can’t wait to see you in the new year!

Wishing you a holiday filled with peace & love… and a New Year rich with blessings,

Sincerely,

The All Our Kin Team

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Build Back Better

We’re Not Turning Back! Over the weekend West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin announced that he won’t vote for Build Back Better and declared that negotiations are over. The Democrats need his vote to pass the bill. We won’t know what this means until Senators return to Washington in January, but we do know this:

Sen. Manchin and his colleagues are not opposed to child care funding. His opposition is based on economic arguments that have been refuted.
Congress now has several options: reduce the size of Build Back Better; split it into a few smaller bills; or find support to pass the bill from moderate Republicans.

Federal and state policymakers know that whatever happens next, educators and parents aren’t turning back. Because of you, they’ve been put on notice that they have to find a solution to America’s child care crisis – one that centers the needs of family child care – right away. This is the message All Our Kin will be carrying into the new year, and the one we hope you’ll carry too.

Build Back Better F.A.Q

Everything you always wanted to know about Build Back Better: Our friends at NAFCC compiled these answers to family child care educators

Are you ready to tell our elected officials that family child care matters? Ready to help make sure family child care educators get the funding and resources you need to thrive? Virtual NYS Child Care Advocacy Day is February 9th, 2022! Join All Our Kin as we participate as part of the Empire State Campaign for Child Care. We need a strong showing so elected officials see we are a strong and united community! Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join, and there will be training and All Our Kin staff there to support you.

Save the Date!

We hope you’ll join us on January 24th from 6:45-8:15pm for a webinar to regroup and update you on where things stand for child care in Washington and Albany.

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Save the Date: Advocacy Training for FCC Educators

All Our Kin is hosting an advocacy day training on January 31, 2022, designed for FCC Educators! Details for how to register coming soon!

Contact the Governor to Support Universal Child Care in New York State

Our friends at the Alliance for Quality Education are urging Governor Hochul and other elected officials to support universal child care in New York State.

TAKE ACTION NOW

POSTPONED! FCC Educator Panel: Communicating with Parents and Families

Join your fellow educator colleagues in January to hear about their strategies for communicating with families. Panelists will talk about their communication routines, how they navigate difficult conversations with families, the improvements they would like to make to their communication, and the ways they think their network of fellow FCC educators can be a helpful resource. Certificates will be issued for 1.25 hours of professional development.

Thursday, January 20th

6:00-7:15pm

Exploring Materials: Mark Making

In the Art Studio at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, we see our youngest visitors interested in mark-making: the interaction between the learner’s own actions, surfaces, and materials. In this hands-on and discussion-based workshop, we take an in-depth look at how mark-making inspires a wide range of creative, sensory experiences. We discuss how mark-making develops skills for self-expression, engages motor skills, and can be supported by accessible, sustainable, and affordable materials. We also explore material selection, preparation, and set-up to support exciting, safe, and enriching mark-making. During the hands-on portions of the workshop, we play a variety of drawing games that illustrate the creative benefits of mark-making. Art Educators then share images from mark-making experiences within the Art Studio to provide further inspiration for creating mark-making explorations within your early childhood settings. Certificates will be issued for 1.5 hours of professional development.

Tuesday, January 11th

6:30-8:00pm

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Accounting Series

Get a jump start on accounting with our three-part workshop designed to teach you about the All Our Kin Accounting System. This workshop is completely free of charge and includes a copy of the 2022 Accounting System and user manual. Joining this easy-to-use computer program that will allow you to:

Summarize your business income and expenses
Understand your business profits from month to month
Compile necessary information for filing taxes
Prepare a budget and compare your actual income and expenses to your budgeted income and expense

Check out this flyer for more information.

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Subscribe to All Our Kin on YouTube!

All Our Kin puts the recordings of many of its professional development workshops onto its YouTube channel. Make sure to subscribe to the All Our Kin channel, and you’ll get updates when we upload new content.

Join the All Our Kin Team

Looking to work with a team of dynamic game-changers who care passionately about supporting family child care? We have a number of exciting opportunities available! Visit our career page to learn more about open positions and how to apply.

LEARN MORE

Contact:

Bronx: newyork@allourkin.org; 917-933-3282