The Children's Storefront

We're closed today to celebrate Juneteenth. We'll be back tomorrow (Thursday, June 20) ready for a full day of facilitating brain-building interactions between you and your children.

Enjoy the day!


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June 11, 2024 is the UN's inaugural International Day of Play. Advocates asked the United Nations General Assembly to create this day of recognition because they know what we know: children learn through play.

Play is valuable in part because it provides a space for the back and forth interactions that young brains need to make long-lasting connections. Age 0-3 is the most valuable time to support these connections.

Our free programs center play in our efforts to give families of children ages 0-3 the support they need to set their children up for lifelong success.

Finding moments of play throughout the day is a simple way to build a child's developing brain.

Making a recurring or one-time contribution to The Children's Storefront is a simple way to help promote profound growth in the children we serve.

Take a moment today for play. And if you are able, consider making a donation to our free programs.


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Today is National Children's Day. This day was created to remind us of the important place children hold in society.

Over the last year we've served 450 unique families. Which means we've had the pleasure of welcoming well over 450 children into our Harlem play space.

Our free programs empower children by empowering caregivers to support their development with tools that set children up for lifelong success.

When you make a gift to The CHildren's Storefront, you empower us to impact our most important audience: children.

Help make an impact today by clicking the link in our bio.


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We're making a fundraising push before our fiscal year ends on June 30.

If you are in a place to give, now is the perfect time. Follow the link to invest in us so we can invest in you:
https://thechildrensstorefront.app.neoncrm.com/forms/tcs-donation-landing-page

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It is a privilege for us to help families support the growing brains of their children ages 0-3. This International Families Day is a reminder of the importance of that work. Which we can only accomplish through the generosity of our giving community.

You can join our group of generous donors and help support Harlem families today.

Click the link in to give the gift of free, science-backed programming to our families in Harlem and beyond.
https://thechildrensstorefront.app.neoncrm.com/forms/tcs-international-day-of-families-2024-fundraiser

Thank you to everyone that has pitched in so far to help us meet our 1-day goal.

There is still plenty of time to make your contribution to support Harlem families. Click our donation link to give now:
https://thechildrensstorefront.app.neoncrm.com/forms/tcs-international-day-of-families-2024-fundraiser

30 years ago the UN created the International Day of Families to recognize their importance worldwide.

Today, we are raising funds to bolster our no-cost programs for our Harlem families. Thank you to our early donors who helped get the ball rolling.

Whether you give $5 or $25, your donations make a huge impact. Click the link to donate now:
https://thechildrensstorefront.app.neoncrm.com/forms/tcs-international-day-of-families-2024-fundraiser

In just a few days we will be increasing our in-person program offerings.

We now have a class serving all ages 0-3 each program day and we have expanded structured sessions on Saturdays and Sundays. Caregivers may notice that some class times have shifted. We made these adjustments in response to feedback from our program families.

We remain here for you Wednesday-Sunday, now with more opportunities to learn, play and grow with your child.

Click here to find a class that fits your schedule:
https://linktr.ee/thechildrensstorefront

May is AANHPI heritage month. Originally, AAPI, the name was changed in 2021. This expansion to Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month was done to more inclusively represent Native Hawaiians.

One way to broaden a child's cultural knowledge in an age-appropriate manner is to talk to them about cultures inside and outside of their family.

Swipe to slide 2 for simple definitions to help jump-start your conversations about AANHPI Heritage Month.

On May 15 we aim to raise $1,000 to fortify our efforts to bring science-backed, cost-free programs and support to the families that we serve

Visit https://thechildrensstorefront.app.neoncrm.com/forms/tcs-international-day-of-families-2024-fundraiser to make an early donation today.

The Children's Storefront is proud to announce that we have welcomed a number of new team members as well as three new Trustees to our Board. We recently gathered at our playspace to celebrate how far we've come, and how bright our future is. We look forward to the new possibilities this expansion of our community will bring!

Get to know our Board of Trustees member, Karen Lundgard. 👋 Karen joined our Board in February, and we're excited to learn from her years of expertise in operations and youth-focused community work.

Karen is a nonprofit leader with over twenty years of experience in youth development organizations. She
currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Girl Scouts of Greater New York. In this role, she oversees an $11M annual budget, a rigorous program portfolio serving over 25,000 members, a 425-acre camp property, the build of a $10M dining hall and experience center, and the Girl Scout Cookie Program - the organization’s largest revenue source. Karen leads the strategic planning process and supports the realization of the organization’s mission to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. Karen holds a Bachelor of Science in Parks and Recreation from SUNY Cortland. While working as a Summer Camp Counselor, she witnessed the powerful impact of experiential education and knew she wanted to spend her career developing impactful experiences outside of the traditional classroom. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast and passionate fan of the cinema. Karen lives in Harlem with her husband and 10-year-old son.

Get to know our Board of Trustees member, Christopher Turner 👋 Christopher joined our Board in February, and we are so grateful to have his expertise in planning and real estate.

Christopher Turner brings more than 20 years of experience as a real estate professional specializing in providing transactional advice to nonprofit organizations in the United States. He currently serves as the Managing Director of Denham Wolf’s Transaction Services practice group, leading the team in the planning, structuring, and negotiating of real estate transactions for the New York City nonprofit community. Prior to joining Denham Wolf, Christopher worked at Colliers International, Cushman & Wakefield, and he advised the British Government on real estate matters in both the health and justice sectors. Christopher is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Chair of the Membership Committee of YM/WREA, a member of ULI and ULI NEXT council, and a perennial mentor to ULI Young Leaders. Originally hailing from Britain, he now resides in Harlem with his wife and two children.

Get to know our Board of Trustees member, Dr. Miriam Vega 👋 Miriam joined our Board in February, and we feel lucky that we're able to tap into her expertise in leadership, health, and strategy

Dr. Vega is an experienced, social-justice oriented executive of non-profits who has a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and a BA from Vassar College in Psychology. She completed a two-year Prevention Fellowship at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Vega created the CHANGE model of capacity-building assistance which helps to build culturally responsive programming, quality improvement and organizational infrastructure at community-based organizations across the nation. She has served in the roles of CEO and COO at multiple Federally Qualified Health Centers; including Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center in NY, Total Health Care in Baltimore, Kedren Community Health Center and Psychiatric Hospital In Los Angeles, the University Muslim Medical Association (UMMA), and AIDS Project of the East Bay in Oakland, California. She has served on numerous boards, and has devoted her professional career to bringing quality and comprehensive healthcare services to those who need it the most.

If you are on the lookout for some English as a Second Language (ESL) or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, then check out this list of FREE classes we've put together. Links below:

1. https://www.nypl.org/events/classes/esol/english-classes

2. https://www.nypl.org/events/classes/calendar?keyword=we%20speak%20nyc&target%5B0%5D=ad&city%5B0%5D=bx&city%5B1%5D=man&city%5B2%5D=si&date_op=GREATER_EQUAL&date1=09/30/2021&location=&topic=0&audience=0&series=&page=1

3.
https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/cps/esl

4. https://www.universitysettlement.org/programs/adult-english-classes/

Our first nutrition workshop are happening today!

We are beyond excited to usher in this new program. Swipe to slide 2, or see below for our upcoming schedule. We'll keep you posted in person and online about when registration for our next workshop opens.

If a unique, educational, and delicious bonding experience with your child happens to be your thing, then these workshops are for you!

Find out more here:
https://linktr.ee/thechildrensstorefront

March: Saturday, 3/16, 12:30pm - 1:30pm | 2pm - 3pm
April: Saturday, 4/13, 12:30pm - 1:30pm | 2pm - 3pm
May: Saturday, 5/18, 12:30pm - 1:30pm | 2pm - 3pm
June: Friday, 6/21, 11:15am - 12:15pm | 12:45pm - 1:45pm
July: Friday, 7/19, 11:15am - 12:15pm | 12:45pm - 1:45pm
August: Friday, 8/16, 11:15am - 12:15pm | 12:45pm - 1:45pm
September: Saturday, 9/21, 12:30pm - 1:30pm | 2pm - 3pm
October: Saturday, 10/19, 12:30pm - 1:30pm | 2pm - 3pm
November: Saturday, 11/16, 12:30pm - 1:30pm | 2pm - 3pm
December: Friday, 12/13, 11:15am - 12:15pm | 12:45pm - 1:45pm
January: Friday, 1/17, 11:15am - 12:15pm | 12:45pm - 1:45pm
February: Friday, 2/21, 11:15am - 12:15pm | 12:45pm - 1:45pm

A few spots remain in our first ever nutrition workshops presented in English and Spanish at our Harlem play space.

Gain knowledge, and take home food in our workshops aimed to empower you to use mealtimes as an opportunity to support strong brain development.

These hour-long workshops will be occurring on various Fridays and Saturdays now through February 2025. So if you can't make it this month, check back with us next month for more opportunities to play, learn (eat) and grow.

Register here:
https://linktr.ee/thechildrensstorefront

4 days and counting!

We will be offering free monthly nutrition workshops beginning this Saturday, March 16.

Workshops will be presented in English and Spanish, by a qualified nutrition specialist.

Our first workshops will be this Saturday, March 16, 12:30-1:30pm and 2:00-3:00pm at our play space in Harlem.

Register here:
https://linktr.ee/thechildrensstorefront

The theme of 2024 is to inspire inclusion. Embracing diversity moves us closer to gender equality.

Feminism and gender parity are big concepts for the children in our programs to comprehend. But the many women they see who make up our community--caregivers, board members, community partners, and staff--model for them the power of women in the world.

To all the women that have made The Children's Storefront what it is, we celebrate you.

6 days and counting!

Our caregiver support group starts Friday, February 23rd. Limited spots are available for caregivers with children 0-18 months of age.

We all deserve a chance to connect, share knowledge, and be reminded that caregivers deserve support, too!

If you'd like to join us on Fridays in Harlem, click here to register:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScREcReKTudspm1GzIKQab_h6qMhE72U-ltNvA4L-1GzdRY0w/viewform?usp=sf_link&urp=gmail_link

Thanks to the generosity of The Children's Storefront families, board members, and friends of the storefront, we exceeded our $15,000 goal.

43% of donations came from our participating families, and 50% were under $100. Proof that gifts of any size carry a huge impact.

We can only deliver our free-of-cost programming in Harlem and online with this support from our vast community.

Thank you to everyone who made a contribution.

It is February 1st already! Happy Black History Month.

Talking about what we see children doing and feeling is helps their brains grow. This works, in part, because we are helping them connect what they are experiencing with the language we use to describe those experiences.

In that way, talking about significant moments in the larger world, like Black History Month, is an equally powerful way to introduce bigger ideas to our children.

Do you talk to your child about Black History Month? If so, how? What other ways do you introduce new concepts, events, and ideas to your children?

A mother from our Thriving Threes group recently shared some lovely words about what The Children's Storefront means to her.

😊 We mean it when we say that this is what we live for! Caring for children is often stressful and isolating. We firmly believe that strengthening the bonds between caregivers and children, and caregivers and their communities, are the keys to childhood development that lead to lifelong success.

Why? Because the science tells us so.

Register for a class:
https://thechildrensstorefront.org

Donate to our free-of-cost programming:
https://thechildrensstorefront.app.neoncrm.com/forms/tcs-donation-landing-page

Whether you are looking to deepen your toddler's understanding of Martin Luther King Jr., introduce him for the first time, or you just need a break from your current library, we've got you covered.

This book presents an age-appropriate story of the life of MLK Jr. and why we observe this holiday every year.

Check out "Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.?" by Lisbeth Kaiser and Stanley Chow and let us know what you think!

📣 We are 97% of the way toward reaching our fundraising goal and we hope to exceed it before our campaign ends on January 31st. 📣

Nearly 20 community members, and 24 friends of the storefront have given gifts ranging from $10-$2,600. We're so grateful for every contribution bringing us closer to our seasonal goal.

Each gift builds upon the next to help us deliver quality programming free-of-cost to participants. Any and all donations will help us strengthen and expand our program moving forward.

Click the link to contribute:
https://thechildrensstorefront.app.neoncrm.com/forms/tcs-donation-landing-page

We won't give you a hard time for writing "2023" on dates for the next week or so. As long as you give us the same courtesy.

If you have a child ages 0-3 in your life and we haven't met you yet, let's change that this year. We offer virtual and in-person programming so geography need not be an obstacle. Click the link in our bio to join a free brain-building session today.

Let's rock year-end! 💪🏽✨ ��Our community - that's you! - has helped TCS grow and serve hundreds of families this year. Help us end the year strong by supporting the expansion of our Play and Learn program and services for 2024.��Donate by midnight and get in your 2023 tax-deduction! Are you in? Click the link in our bio to give now