The Aroostook Community Infant Toddler Team invites parents and families of very young children to come together for children during the national Week of the Young Child (April 11-17). Aroostook County is honoring young children and all those who make a difference in their lives through Early Years Resource Fairs in the northern, central and southern regions of the county on April 15 and 16.
“All young children need and deserve high-quality early learning experiences that will prepare them for life. Aroostook County has a great opportunity to do our part to help young children,” said Karen Sawyer of Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP) Child & Family Services. “Week of the Young Child is an opportunity to recognize that early years are learning years for all young children.”
ACAP and others serving expectant families and infants and toddlers through age 3 and their families are sponsoring the Early Years Resource Fairs in the following communities: Caribou at the Caribou Wellness Center, 55 Bennett Drive, Saturday, April 16, 9:30-11:30 a.m. and in Houlton at the Houlton Recreation Center, 128 Main Street, Saturday, April 16, 1–3 p.m.
The three events will offer information on the wide range of services available to young families and feature entertainment by the popular Rick Charette. Events are free to pregnant women and families accompanied by a child through age 3 thanks to the financial support from the Aroostook Council for Healthy Families.
The Aroostook County Community Infant Toddler Team (CITT) which is organizing and sponsoring these events includes representatives from the following organizations: Infant Mental Health, Child Development Services, ACAP, Aroostook Council for Healthy Families Northern Maine Community College, St. John Valley Technology Center, the Aroostook Breastfeeding Coalition, Maine Public Health Nursing, Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library and Family Literacy.
The Aroostook County Team decided to host an event for expectant families and infants and toddlers and their families to meet organizations from their community that were able to support them during the important early years and to draw attention to the importance of the prenatal care, infancy and early childhood for the foundation they lay for the child’s entire life. The theme of National Association for Education of the Young Child (NAEYC)’s Week of the Young Child, “The Early Years are Learning Years” is a perfect fit.
Each event will include information about and/or representatives of libraries, mental health agencies, public health nursing, child car-seat safety, the Alfond scholarship, Child ID program, Cooperative Extension Service, and pediatricians available in the community for expectant families and parents of infants and toddlers. The enthusiasm from local organizations to participate in these resource fairs has been astounding.
For more information, contact Campbell-Sawyer at 768-3045 or Tiffany Karnes at 760-3500.
