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.
Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! | January 22-26, 2024
Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! is designed to raise awareness about the importance of reading and to inspire Florida’s students and families to make reading part of their daily routines. The goal of this year’s Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! is to promote resiliency through literacy and excellent reading habits in the students of Florida. This year, the Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! theme is Believe In Your “Shelf” – Building Resiliency Through Reading! For more information, click here.
Martin Luther King Day | January 15, 2024
The day has become known as a Day of Service, and we are asked to work in our communities in ways that honor Dr. King’s life and teachings. Dr. King said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” His goal? To serve and help others make their lives better. Teaching your child how to serve others in your family and community honors Dr. King. Help your child find things they can do to help. Picking up litter in a park, around a church or school would be a good project or visiting someone who is elderly or sick. Helping with laundry, setting the table or picking up toys are ways your child can do service for the family.
National Mentoring Month
National Mentoring Month is a means of celebrating and promoting the value of mentoring students. The purpose of National Mentoring Month is to position mentoring as a critical component in young people’s lives, helping them make the decisions that ultimately lead to improved opportunities and connections, which have an impact in real life.
Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday | January 1-14, 2024
Consumers in Florida can purchase qualifying back-to-school supplies exempt from sales tax during the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday. The sales tax holiday begins Monday, January 1, 2024 and extends through Sunday, January 14, 2024. To learn more, click here.
EVENTS CALENDAR
Here are upcoming free, family-friendly events in Central Florida:
Friday, January 5
Free Movie, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem, Kissimmee Lakefront Park, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 6
Kids Workshop, Home Depot locations, 9 a.m.
Saturday, January 13
MLK Parade, Downtown Orlando, 10 a.m.
MLK Unity Celebration, Kissimmee Lakefront Park, noon.
MLK Parade and Celebration, Eatonville, 2 p.m.
Sunday, January 14
Free Family Funday, Mennello Museum of American Art, Orlando, noon.
Unity Heritage Festival, Shady Park at Hannibal Square, Winter Park, 1 p.m.
Monday, January 15
Unity Heritage Festival, Shady Park at Hannibal Square, Winter Park, 9:15 a.m.
MLK Parade & Festival, Sanford Civic Center, 10 a.m.
MLK Day Parade and Celebration, Round Lake Park, Oviedo, 10 a.m.
MLK Unity Parade & Celebration, Ocoee, 10 a.m.
MLK Parade & Concert, Winter Garden, 11 a.m.
Thursday, January 18
Job Fair, Orange County Fleet and Facilities, Orlando, 9 a.m.
Friday, January 19
Free Movie, Small Foot, Center Lake Park, Oviedo, 5 p.m.
Saturday, January 27
Heritage Day, Speer Park, Oakland, 11 a.m.
For more events, check out the 4C Community Calendar, click here.
PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS
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:
- Orange County Library System, click here.
- Osceola Library System, click here.
- Seminole County Public Library, click here.
- Winter Park Library, click here.
- Maitland Library, click here.
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 StartThe 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 School Readiness Family Newsletter alerts and other timely information
about resources and services. To subscribe, click here.