Families First in Cabarrus County

🌟 Remembering a special visit in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month! We were honored to welcome Governor Roy Cooper to our Bilingual Preschool and organization, highlighting the importance of our Latino families and children in our community and economy. Governor Cooper's visit recognizes the invaluable contributions of our Latino community, celebrating their culture, resilience, and dedication to building a brighter future for all. ✅ Our Bilingual Preschool is more than just a learning space—it’s a hub of cultural pride and a testament to the strength and value of Hispanic families in our state. We remain committed to providing inclusive, high-quality education that honors our heritage and empowers our children. Let’s continue to uplift, support, and celebrate the vibrant Latino families who are the heart of our community! 💪🏽❤️ #HispanicHeritageMonth #BilingualPreschool #GovernorRoyCooper

#ICYMI: A Love Letter to FFN Caregivers 💚 "My aunt wasn’t trained in child development, but she was an expert. She knew it was important to slow down, to feed my imagination, to care about the things that were important to me, whether that was dancing to the Nutcracker in my socks or dressing my dolls in their snowsuits before taking them out in the cold." - Alexandra Patterson, Director of Policy & Strategy, Home Grown #ChildCare #FFNCare Read the full blog post: https://lnkd.in/eavywqQz

🎉 Happy 5 Year Work Anniversary to Miss Nida! 🎉 Today, we honor Miss Nida, a dedicated teacher, a passionate advocate for early childhood education, and a true inspiration to our team and families! ⭐ Originally from Pakistan, Miss Nida has spent the last 5 years making a profound impact on the lives of our diverse families. As she nears the incredible milestone of graduating with her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, we couldn’t be prouder of her commitment to learning and her unwavering love for every child she teaches. 📚🎓 Miss Nida’s favorite book, “It’s Okay to Be Different” by Todd Parr, perfectly reflects her belief in the beauty of diversity and the importance of celebrating every unique child. Her joyful spirit and inclusive approach remind us daily that every family and culture enriches our community. Join us in celebrating Miss Nida’s 5 years of dedication, her journey toward graduation, and her passion for embracing all families with open arms! 💖👏🏽 #FamiliesFirst #EarlyChildhoodEducation #WeLoveMissNida #DiversityInclusion

To all our incredible teachers and yours, may your weekend be filled with well-deserved joy and relaxation. You truly deserve it!

🎉 We’re so honored! After months of strategic planning, the University City Child Care Network took its first mission-centered action step by serving the community, no strings attached! 🌟 Yesterday, over 100 children received backpacks filled with supplies and books, while families enjoyed delicious hamburgers, hotdogs, and free Kona Ice 🍔🍧. The smiles on everyone’s faces made it all worth it! 😊 We’ve put in the work over the years, thanks to supporters of UCCN, including The Blue Cross NC Foundation, they are moving their mission forward: “To increase community advocacy, promote education, and cultivate wellness for childcare professionals and families.” Together, UCCN believes: “All families and early childhood educators deserve comprehensive support to thrive.” 💪 Thank you to everyone who made this incredible day possible! Let’s keep pushing for a brighter future for all. 🌈📚 #CommunityFirst #FamiliesThrive #ChildcareMatters #MissionDriven #UCCN #BackToSchool #BlueCrossNCFoundation

It has been such a joy to participate in this heartfelt week! Fittingly, we hired another PC+ ELS (recent MSW intern) to train, graduated 2 FFNs (🎉!), and enrolled 4 new FFN providers in the PC+ Home-Based Child Care model. Thank you Home Grown for putting this together and of course, such a joy to serve with the tools, training, and support of ParentChild +. These partnerships truly empower our FFN providers and community. What a week!! Let’s keep going. #ffncareisalwaysthere

The saying 'it takes a village,' has always been something that people understand intuitively. While that may not be apparent, there is a vast network of village keepers providing family, friends, and neighbor care. Also referred to as home-based care, these represent our neighbors, our kin, who have come to role of care with the collective in mind. They are a part of raising the future and supporting our elders and those physical disabilities in their dignity. Think about who you know who is a home caregiver. For me it's my neighbors who have weekly been the caregivers for their dearest grandkids through their lives; it's my auntie and cousins who have daily been the people who have been the rock for my living grandmother; it's co-workers who are very much sandwiched raising the children in their lives, perhaps a neighbor's child and doing so while making care plans for moms and dads. When we think about realizing a vision to ensure economic inclusion for families with children, it cannot be done with acknowledging how deeply valuable the role of a caregiver is. This week as we celebrate #FFNAppreciationWeek, I encourage you to send that note of appreciation forward for all the caregivers you know.... My bigger hope is that we make permanent changes that demonstrate that we understand our interdependence rests on the wellbeing of caregivers, like simple universal child benefits and caregiver remunerations, so that every family can live life to its fullest and thrive. #CareMakesEverythingElsePossible #RWJF

➡ FFN Care Meets the Developmental Needs of Children ❤ FFN caregivers facilitate lasting, trusting relationships and build the foundation of quality care for millions of children. FFN caregivers need support to continue to do this work. #FFNAppreciationWeek #DIDYOUKNOW? 🤔 - FFN care nourishes healthy brain development. The evidence is clear: Healthy brain development and resilience in young children is grounded in their attachment to loving and available caregivers who engage them in responsive relationships (@HarvardCenter). This is precisely who FFN caregivers are. - FFN care supports the developmental needs of children through quality interactions and nurturing relationships. #FFNCareIsAlwaysThere

⭐ All Grown Up With FFN Care ⭐ - With over 11.5 million children being cared for by an FFN caregiver each year, it is no surprise that many adults have fond memories of being in a FFN child care setting. Were you cared for by an FFN caregiver? #AllGrownUpFFN - Sen. Elizabeth Warren often speaks about the critical role home-based child care played in her story. When Sen. Warren was teaching full time in Texas, her Aunt Bee stepped in to help care for her children, which contributed to her success. There are over 5 million Aunt Bees caring for children and supporting families in the U.S. Who was/is your Aunt Bee? - Family, friend and neighbor caregivers support children in every community. These children grow up to be teachers, doctors, lawyers, artists, executives, and whatever else they put their minds to! Are you All Grown Up With FFN Care?

🌟 Who are FFN caregivers? 🌟 ❤️ They are the grandmothers, nanas, aunties, abuelitas, family, friends and neighbors who care for children. DID YOU KNOW? ✅ Most states allow FFN caregivers to be legally license exempt, or legally non-licensed, meaning they are not required to pursue licensure to serve the (usually smaller) number of children they care for. These caregivers may be paid or unpaid and may not view themselves as providers. #SaveChildCare ✅ There are over 5 million FFN caregivers who look after 11.5 million children including 5.8 million children ages 0-5 in the United States. Family, friend and neighbor child care is the most widely used form of child care in America. ✅ FFN caregivers are pillars in our community. This week, help us celebrate the impact that FFN caregivers have on our lives and communities by thanking a local FFN caregiver. ✅ FFN caregivers are the FAMILY, FRIEND, and NEIGHBOR caregivers all around us! The term FFN caregiver is used to describe the care provided by those who typically have a previous relationship with the children for whom they care. #FFNAppreciationWeek 💚