Affordable, quality child care remains one of the most important goals to ensure women have equal opportunities to work and increase their earning potential. I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine who asked why we continue calling the child care crisis a women’s issue? Wisely, she noted that clearly our economy and children’s health, safety and futures are an issue impacting our entire community.
The child care industry is facing unprecedented challenges that will require community attention, focus and dedicated funds. We see the challenges with a shortage of early child care teachers, which increases costs for facilities to provide quality programs, resulting in limited spots at unaffordable costs.
During these hurdles, the YWCA and our community is tackling this challenge and seeking solutions. The expansion of YWCA's Persimmon Early Learning is making it possible to increase the number of children we welcome into our program while providing a quality, affordable solution for parents.
Donors, foundations, and Boulder County invested in our community by making it possible for Persimmon Early Learning to expand and improve our outdoor learning environments and classrooms.
We are responding to the needs of our community by adjusting scheduling to provide flexibility for parents. Recognizing the significant financial challenges facing many families, we have also adjusted our rates to create a more reasonable option. Now, we are excited to invite our community, including all of you who support our important work, to celebrate this milestone with our grand opening event on Saturday, August 21.
This is a milestone. We know there is still a long path ahead to strengthen the future of early child care and education, but together I’m confident we will reach more milestones to achieve affordable, quality child care for every child in our community.
With gratitude,
Debbie Pope
CEO
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Aug. 21 - Grand Opening of Persimmon Early Learning |
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Saturday, Aug. 21
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. – Refreshments and Tours
4:00 p.m. - Ribbon Cutting & Remarks
Please join us to celebrate the Grand Opening of the expansion of our high-quality, affordable and flexible child care facility at Persimmon Early Learning of the YWCA. The renovation and expansion was completed in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, and we are thrilled to now be able to share our beautiful new classrooms and outdoor learning spaces with the community. Tours will be offered every 20 minutes, with a Ribbon Cutting and Remarks at 4:00 p.m. RSVP required to attend.
Unfortunately Congressman Joe Neguse will be kept in session and is unable to join us. We are working to have someone from our local government speak at the event, so stay tuned!
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We are thrilled to have the duo Elisa García and Daniel Ondaro of NuMundo Music join the festivities!
The duo of Elisa García and Daniel Ondaro weave a romantic sound that’s rooted in musical traditions from the Americas but are not afraid to re-invent them.
NuMundo’s music bridges the Americas by crossing international boundaries and inspiring feelings of connection and joy between people of diverse backgrounds, languages and cultures. In their own voice, NuMundo presents original Pan-American songs influenced by samba, bossa nova, rumba flamenco, salsa, cumbia, and jazz.
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Thank you Ben & Jerry's Boulder for donating ice cream to help us celebrate! |
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Thanks Reading to End Racism Volunteers |
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Thank you to everyone who joined us both in-person and virtually for Friday's Reading to End Racism (RER) training session! We're so grateful for our wonderful volunteers, and look forward to taking our readings and discussions back into local schools this school year.
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Volunteer Highlight: Daisy Saragoussi |
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Longtime Reading to End Racism (RER) volunteer Daisy Saragoussi recently shared her experience volunteering with the program. Thank you, Daisy, for your commitment to RER and sharing your experiences with us here, and with hundred of children over the years!
When did you get involved with RER?
I was invited to join RER in 2009, by a longtime friend who was already very involved. I had just retired from 30 years of teaching and was missing it terribly. My friend thought this would be a great way for me to contribute to RER and stay in touch with children.
Why did you decide to volunteer with RER?
I come from a family of Holocaust survivors. We immigrated to the United States when I was six. I did not speak a word of English then. Because of my experiences, I can relate to a lot of what is happening in our world now. History does repeat itself. I volunteer with RER because I do not ever want to see anyone being marginalized, bullied, or be the victim of discrimination.
Do you have any especially memorable experiences you’ve had volunteering with RER?
After telling my story to a class, reading a related book, and having discussion, one young student asked in a very innocent and simple tone: "Why are people so mean to each other?" "That's a very good question," I said. "I wish I knew." We have lots of work to do!
Would you encourage others to volunteer with RER and why?
I would absolutely encourage others to volunteer with RER, whether they've experienced racism, or witnessed it, or read about it. It is also a wonderful way to share concepts through READING. Literature is so rich!
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July Virtual STEM Summer Coding Camp Recap |
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We had a wonderful time hosting our virtual STEM E3 summer camp! Our students worked on Curated Pathways and Code Monkey activities, and they learned a lot while having fun.
We're so grateful to have had three wonderful guest speakers join us: Materials Engineer for ExxonMobil, Emily King; Laya Rybicki, a formulation scientist at Pfizer; and longtime YWCA supporter and Dancing with Boulder Stars instructor Sky Shaver, who is pursuing a PhD in Aerospace Engineering at CU Boulder. The students learned so much from them and we appreciate their time and support.
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"I was asked to be the guest speaker at YWCA Boulder County's STEM E3 summer camp, and I had so much fun talking to the students about my work in the space industry. We talked about black holes, past and future missions to Mars and Titan, and how we can study water movements around the Earth. The students asked thought provoking and cutting-edge questions; I see future space scientists in the mix!" -Sky Shaver
The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) E3 program is a hands-on, real-world program emphasizing education, employment, and entrepreneurship (E3) for young women of color in 5th – 8th grades using STEM technology. This program strives to provide educational opportunities, career exploration, and mentorship for young students of color interested in STEM fields through jam sessions with local and national tech leaders, coding cohorts during the school year and summer camps.
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What You Need to Know About the Child Tax Credit |
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Child Tax Credits are being sent out now! If you have children under the age of 18, make sure you are all set to receive your payment and then keep an eye out in your bank account or mailbox.
Learn more:
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Does your employer offer gift matching? |
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Many companies offer gift matching or workplace giving programs as an added benefit to their employees. Your donation could be doubled or even tripled by employer gift matching, helping you make an even greater impact in supporting YWCA Boulder County’s affordable, high-quality child care and racial justice programs.
Check with your employer regarding gift matching and workplace giving, and don’t hesitate to email Robyn Hazlitt: rhazlitt@ywcaboulder.org with any questions and to let us know to expect your gift match! |
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Persimmon Early Learning - Enrolling Now! |
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New Preschool Classroom opening August 30. Enroll today!
- Small class sizes and low teacher-student ratios of 1:5
- Experiential, play-based program with Storybook Journey curriculum that supports child-led interests and child development
- Colorado Shines Level 4 rating
- Highly qualified teaching team works to strengthen all areas of child growth and pre-academic skills including: social-emotional, gross and fine motor, early literacy, STEM, and social studies
- Twice-yearly parent/teacher conferences and daily communication
- Daily Active Play, Movement, and Nutrition Lessons with our Wellness Coordinator
- Healthy snacks and meals prepared daily on-site by our Nutrition Coordinator
- Certified HEAL (Healthy Eating, Active Living) and Breastfeeding Friendly Program
To schedule a virtual Parent Tour for Persimmon Early Learning, or to begin the enrollment process for your child, please visit our website to fill out an Interest Form. We will follow up with you with tour dates and times.
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Sign up for Persimmon Grove - Our Parent eNews |
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Once a quarter we bring our Persimmon Early Learning classrooms to you with Persimmon Grove, our eNews for parents. Hear what each classroom has been focused on, and learn nutrition and wellness tips too! |
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Rate & Review Persimmon Early Learning |
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Help more families find our quality, flexible and affordable child care by boosting us in search results.
Rate, review and notify us before Sept. 1 to be entered into a drawing for a $50 Target Gift Card!
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Staff Highlight: Ali Randall |
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What’s your title?
My title is Director of Public Relations and Marketing.
When did you join the team at YWCA Boulder County?
I joined the team at YWCA Boulder County in July 2018. My, how time flies!
What do you do at the YWCA?
I handle traditional media relations, social media outreach, and overall communications for the organization.
What’s your favorite thing about YWCA Boulder County?
My favorite thing about YWCA Boulder County is the amazing, talented, and driven women I get to work with on eliminating racism, empowering women, and being a positive force in the community.
What’s something people may not know about you?
People may not know that I sang (in a choir) in the Notre-Dame de Paris, AKA Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France.
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Latina Achievement Support (LAS) Advocates
The Latina Achievement Support (LAS) Advocate works directly with ninth- to twelfth-grade Latina high school students in Boulder County, helping to close the achievement gap and provide specialized support. LAS advocates provide a space where students can build upon the strengths and resources of the Latinx community and understand the challenges they may face in reaching their goals. LAS provides positive youth development through programming and exposure to other organizations in Colorado. This is a position requiring a commitment to the work and mission of YWCA Boulder County and supervision of youth. May be a virtual position or partially virtual, subject to COVID-19, and will start in September 2021. Average of 6-12 hours per week.
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Persimmon Early Learning Early Education Teachers
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Early Childhood Education Teachers - Persimmon Early Learning of the YWCA needs ECT-qualified teachers for our new toddler and preschool classrooms. $1,000 signing bonus, small class sizes, and great benefits!
Persimmon Early Learning of the YWCA offers high-quality, affordable child care, and expanded indoor and outdoor learning areas. It provides a nurturing, creative space for children to learn and grow in redesigned and expanded indoor and outdoor learning areas. The program emphasizes parent engagement and education, health equity through scheduled activities and active play time, and good nutrition modeling and activities including diverse and healthy meal plan.
For additional info, email Lisa Van der Veer at: lisa@ywcaboulder.org, or call Persimmon Early Learning: (303) 449-1951. |
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Thank you Dancing with Boulder Stars Sponsors |
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Contributing Sponsor | $500 |
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Thank you to our generous Dancing with Boulder Stars Sponsors! Your generous support and sponsorship helps us make an impact in our community.
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Have you, your child or someone you know benefited from a YWCA program or service?
We love sharing personal stories and testimonials with grant funders, donors and in our communications with the community. Please contact Robyn Hazlitt at rhazlitt@ywcaboulder.org to share your story or testimonial. |
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YWCA Boulder County Events
Community Events
- Aug. 6 - Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
- Aug. 18 - Anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave some women the right to vote
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Celebrating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Thirty-one years ago, on July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability - was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. Many thousands of people worked for years organizing, testifying, speaking out, protesting, lobbying, filing lawsuits and being arrested to advance this important disability civil rights legislation. The ADA not only provided comprehensive civil rights protections for people with disabilities for the first time in U.S. history, but it also helped to create a change in the nation’s attitudes toward disability rights. And as we have seen time and time again with examples like the “curb-cut effect”, when we implement solutions to help those who were previously excluded participate full in society, everyone benefits.
Throughout the year and each year on the anniversary of the ADA, the ADA National Network recognizes this landmark event and the important work to promote equal opportunity for people with disabilities. YWCA Boulder County celebrates the ADA and all the contributions of our fellow community members with disabilities to our community and our country.
Learn more:
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Thank you City of Boulder Housing and Human Services |
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Thank you City of Boulder Housing and Human Services Department for your grant funding for Persimmon Early Learning (formerly Children's Alley)! |
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Thank YOU for your support! |
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Our work would not be possible without the support of passionate individuals and businesses like you, who support our programs and services.
Contact us to learn more about donating stock or other assets, donating through your employers giving program or becoming an event sponsor.
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Non-cash Ways to Support the YWCA
- Give from your Donor Advised Fund
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Shop at smile.amazon.com and select YWCA Boulder County
- Sign up for King Soopers Community Rewards and select YWCA Boulder County
- Donate your vehicle to YWCA Boulder County through Vehicles for Charity
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Buy items from our Amazon Wishlist and ship them directly to our office
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