TOWN 'N COUNTRY, Fla. — A non-profit is focusing on helping families throughout Town 'N Country.
Great We Grow works with families and kids in the community to make sure they're prepared to enter kindergarten.
Prior to COVID-19, the families would gather for educational-style play dates. But, like most of us, they've moved everything virtual.
Maggie Sanchez, Program Manager for Great We Grow Town 'N Country says, "It's a curriculum that has been published by parents as teachers, which is a national program, and is called the 'what you do matters curriculum.' And so every week, we have activities that we do with our parents."
The curriculum focuses on brain development, gross and fine motor skills, language development, social and emotional growth, as well as cognitive development.
The group focuses on Spanish and English-speaking families to help them connect with other families right in their own community.
"Well, you know, our community is a community that is almost under a bubble, we don't have failing schools, but we need to make sure that our children are ready for kindergarten, and especially our children that are monolingual that come from monolingual families or children that are not from, you know, the United States they need that extra support our parents need that extra support. And so the importance of us being here is because we do serve a lot of families that are not from this country," explains Sanchez.
Sanchez says it's a great resource for families, many of who have felt isolated because they're new to the United States.
"There's no judgment. There's just a lot of love and support to really help our parents understand, you know what development is and how important it is to spend time with the child, and just play and love them and talk to them, you know, sing to them," explains Sanchez.
If you know a family who could use this type of program, click here. Their programs are free but do require a registration fee.
