SPARK is the hub of a valuable wheel. An education initiative of Fox Valley United Way, SPARK (Strong, Prepared and Ready for Kindergarten) connects underserved Aurora, Illinois, families with early education and childcare opportunities that prepare their young children for success in school and life.
SPARK CalendarOur SPARK monthly calendar has been created to share ideas for activities for young children, including easy things you can do at home as well as new places to explore in the community. February is National Dental Health Month. If you need a dentist for you or your child please consider visiting VNA Healthcare at 400 N. Highland in Aurora. They offer a dental services for children and adults. For more information or to make an appointment please click here. Nuestro calendario de SPARK ha sido creado para compartir ideas de actividades para niños pequeños, incluyendo cosas faciles que pueden hacer en la casa y tambien lugares diferentes que pueden explorar en su comunidad. El mes de febrero es mes nacional de salud dental. Si usted o su hijo necesita una dentista por favor considere visitar a VNA Healthcare 400 N. Highland en Aurora. Ellos tienen servicios dentales para niños y adultos. Para mas informacion o para hacer una cita haga clic aqui.
Partner Spotlight: Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley Youth Engagement in Philanthropy (YEP)
YEP Virtual Story TimeAbout Youth Engagement in Philanthropy (YEP) Virtual Story TimeOur YEP members wanted to provide some fun for children by sharing videos of them reading from their favorite stories. They chose this service project for several reasons:YEP seeks to serve local youth. These videos were designed for some of the youngest in our community so they can enjoy our members’ favorite children’s books!They serve a greater purpose. Studies show that reading consistently to young children teaches them important skills such as empathy, imagination, language, problem-solving, and more. In fact, it sets them up for significantly greater success as they get older.It’s COVID-friendly! When in-person story times aren’t an option, or parents have less time than expected to read to their children…enter YEP Virtual Story Time! Why is this important to our area? According to the Illinois KIDS Data Report only 33.5% of children in Aurora enter kindergarten ready in language and literacy. Reading to children starting from birth exposes a child to an expanded vocabulary, teaches them early math skills, builds social-emotional skills and builds on their imagination. Reading to children builds a strong foundation for success in school and life. Providing virtual story time is a priceless program YEP is bringing to our community. About Youth Engagement in Philanthropy (YEP)YEP was created to help local high school students explore and learn more about fundraising, grantmaking and making a difference in the community. The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley wanted to find a way to empower the next generation by providing the opportunity for youth to fund ideas which impact and inspire their community. The Community Foundation values the partnership of Dunham Fund in making this program available for young people in our community and are grateful for their ongoing support. Together, we are building a future of philanthropy.About the Community Foundation of the Fox River ValleyThe Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley is a non-profit, tax-exempt, philanthropic organization that administers individual charitable funds from which grants and scholarships are distributed to benefit the citizens of the Greater Aurora Area, the TriCities and Kendall County, Illinois. Founded in 1948, the Foundation provides a simple and powerful approach to charitable giving. Individuals, families, businesses, and organizations have the opportunity to custom design their own named funds that reflect their charitable goals and interests.
Check out this month’s Play. Learn. Connect. activity from our partners at the University of Illinois Extension – DuPage Kane & Kendall Counties. They would like to introduce you to Eat Move Save’s Fish Tacos recipe. It’s a delicious, nutritious meal. Enjoy! Check out their YouTube channel for more fun and nutritious recipes!
Did you miss our previous Play. Learn. Connect. activities? Not to worry you can check them all out on our website just click the green button below. And be sure to like our Facebook page to see all of our future virtual Play. Learn. Connect. activities.
Gateway to Early Childhood: Virtual support now available for our families
The goal of SPARK is to connect families with children birth to 5 to quality early childhood supports and services. If you are looking for a program for you child, please watch this short video for more information on how to connect with our staff.
English:As your little one grows, you may notice that she has many questions about the differences and similarities between people. By encouraging these questions, you will show your child that it’s good to talk and think about diversity and acceptance. Help your child recognize the beauty in diversity. As you go on a walk outside, point out how each flower is a different color and shape. Ask, “how do different types of flowers make the world a more beautiful place?” For more tips on diversity from our partners Too Small To Fail, click here: https://bit.ly/2AP67nq
EspañolA medida que tu pequeño crece, puedes notar que ella tiene muchas preguntas sobre las diferencias y similitudes entre las personas. Al fomentar estas preguntas, usted le mostrará a su hijo que es bueno hablar y pensar acerca de la diversidad y la aceptación. Ayude a su hijo a reconocer la belleza de la diversidad. A medida que vas a caminar por fuera, señala cómo cada flor es de un color y forma diferentes. Pregunte, “¿Cómo hacen diferentes tipos de flores que el mundo sea un lugar más hermoso?” Para obtener más consejos sobre la diversidad de nuestro socio Too Small To Fail, haga clic aqui: https://bit.ly/2AP67nq
Spotlight on Children’s Books that Promote DiversityBig, small, curly, straight, loud, quiet, smooth, wrinkly. Lovely explores a world of differences that all add up to the same thing: we are all lovely! Recommended: Preschool – 2nd GradeMore Info
How Can Fox Valley United Way Improve Their WebsiteFox Valley United Way is updating our website and we are very excited. We would love your feedback on how we can improve your experience and better serve our communities. Please take a moment to fill out the survey below. It shouldn’t take more than a couple minutes. Our current website is www.foxvalleyunitedway.org Survey
Governor Pritzker Announces Reduced Co-Pays of $1.25 for Parents in Illinois’ Child Care Assistance Program60,000 Families to Receive Financial Relief Through New InitiativeFollowing the recent launch of a new initiative to direct additional funds to support child care providers in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), Governor JB Pritzker today announced parents in the program will pay a maximum of $1.25 in monthly co-pays. CCAP provides low-income families with access to high-quality childcare throughout Illinois and the reduced rates will provide financial relief to families across the state as Illinois continues to feel the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The lower rates are applicable in January and February 2021.Read More
Virtual Play. Learn.Connect. ActivitiesWe have added a running list of virtual activities you can do with your children while you are home. We will continue to add this page as we find more activities. You can find virtual zoo tours, tours of national parks, hear a bedtime story from outer space, activities you can do with your children focusing on all different topics from math to literacy and everything in between. We are all in this together let’s Live United and SPARK a love of learning while we are all staying home.Virutal Activities
Our SPARK monthly calendar has been created to share ideas for activities for young children, including easy things you can do at home as well as new places to explore in the community. February is National Dental Health Month. If you need a dentist for you or your child please consider visiting VNA Healthcare at 400 N. Highland in Aurora. They offer a dental services for children and adults. For more information or to make an appointment please click here. 
