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, providing
high-quality services that improve the lives of children and families.
National Nutrition Month
An annual nutrition education and information campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the National Nutrition Month campaign is celebrated each year during the month of March. It focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. National Nutrition Month gives us the opportunity to learn how to make informed choices about food. Start healthy habits this month by using FDA’s tools and tips to help you make nutritious choices that last all year long, click here.
Reading Awareness Month
March is Reading Awareness Month and serves as a reminder of the importance of reading aloud to children. As a parent, you can start reading to your child at birth and continue even when they can read. Reading to your child helps you bond with them and shows that you value reading. Hearing books read is one of the best ways for your child to learn new words and increase their vocabulary as well as learn early literacy skills. For more information on Reading Awareness Month, click here.
Sing With Your Child Month
This celebration addresses the importance of singing with children. Singing with a child promotes happiness, confidence, and stronger relationships. It is a step toward oral language development. Songs are words set to music, and you share language every time you sing with children. Singing shows your child another way that words can be used. To learn more, click here.
EVENTS CALENDAR
Here are upcoming free, family-friendly events in Central Florida:
Friday, March 1
Free Movie, Transformers Rise of the Beasts, Kissimmee Lakefront Park, 5:30 p.m.
Free Movie, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Torcaso Park, Winter Springs, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 2
Home Depot Kids Workshop, 9 a.m. to noon
St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Downtown Winter Park, 9 a.m.
Fire Station Open House, Station 45, Maitland, 10 a.m.
Spring Festival, Amhurst Park, Orlando, 11 a.m.
Jazz in the Park, Cypress Grove Park, Orlando, noon.
Monday, March 4
Story Time, Leu Gardens, Orlando, 10 a.m.
Thursday, March 7
Free Movie, Young Frankenstein, Central Park, Winter Park, 7 p.m.
Friday, March 8
Free Movie, Over the Hedge, Hopkins Park, St. Cloud, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 9
Open House, Station 11, Altamonte Springs, 10 a.m.
Touch-a-Truck, Knights Plaza, UCF, noon.
Free Movie, The Little Mermaid, Independence Square, Maitland, 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 10
Free Family Funday, Mennello Museum of American Art, Loch Haven Park, Orlando, noon.
Thursday, March 14
Job Fair & Resource Event, Bithlo Neighborhood Center for Families, 9 a.m.
Friday, March 15
Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, Central Park, Winter Park, 9 a.m.
Free Movie, Elemental, Dr. P. Phillips Community Park, Orlando, 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 16
Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, Central Park, Winter Park, 9 a.m.
Free Movie, Elemental, Bear Creek Recreational Complex, Orlando, 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 17
Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, Central Park, Winter Park, 9 a.m.
Wednesday, March 20
Family Spring Festival, Apopka Zellwood Neighborhood Center for Families, 2 p.m.
Friday, March 22
Egg-citing Egg Hunt, Central Winds Park, Winter Springs, 4:30 p.m.
Celtic Festival, Downtown St. Cloud, 5 p.m.
Saturday, March 23
Easterfest, Audubon Park Church, Orlando, 9 a.m.
Kowtown Festival, Kissimmee Lakefront Park, noon.
Wednesday, March 27
Job Fair, Orlando Fairgrounds Expo Building, noon.
Saturday, March 30
Easter Egg Hunt, Downtown Historic Longwood, 9:30 a.m.
Easter in the Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Phelps Park and Ward Park, Winter Park, 10 a.m.
Easter Eggstravaganza, Bill Breeze Park, Ocoee, 11:30 a.m.
For more events, check out the 4C Community Calendar, click here.
PUBLIC LIBRARIES
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 Start
The 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 4C Family Newsletter alerts and other timely information
about resources and services. To subscribe, click here.