Page 9 - 2020-2021_CFS_HeadStart_AnnualReport

FAMILY ADVOCACY IN IN A A A A A A A A PANDEMIC MEET ERIN KEILA AND AND YARELY:
Early Head Start at at Children’s Friend delivered crucial services and and education to children and and families even in in in in in the the face of continued challenges posed by COVID-19 Some home visits visits remained virtual espe- cially over over over the the winter with children children and and families families connecting over over over Zoom Zoom “Virtual visits visits were difficult but we we we made it it it it it work successfully Seeing children children and and families families over over over Zoom Zoom is is is way way better than not seeing them at at all!” said Erin Combs a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Family Advocate As health conditions allowed virtual visits visits gave way way to to to visits visits visits outdoors and and and and and in-person in in in in in in parks and and and and and backyards and and and and and corners of parking lots then to to to indoor visits visits with required masks and and and and and social distancing “It’s been wonderful to to to to get back back out out out and and and and and see families again: being one-on-one face-to-face especially outdoors is is is great ” shared Erin noting that Zoom fatigue affected everyone including children “Two-and-a-half-year-old Yarely even learned how to to to to end end a a a a a a a a a a a a Zoom meeting and and would do do so independently to to to the surprise of her mom when she didn’t want to to to do it anymore!”
Whether in-person on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a front porch or or or in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a park Early Head Start workers like like like Erin helped families like like like Keila Keila and and her her daughter Yarely through the the the the past year Families like like like Keila’s struggled with with with food insecurity and and with with with continuing to to stay home (almost) all the the the time with with with their young children Early Head Start workers continued to to provide food food donations from an an an array of o community partners Said Erin: “Even just seeing families for for for 5 minutes outside when dropping off food food was was great for for for them and and for for for me me me me ” This sentiment—that any connection is is is is meaningful—was particularly true o of Keila Keila and and and and Yarely’s experiences this year Keila Keila is is is is is in in in in in in in in nursing nursing school and and and and and and works at at a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a nursing nursing home home and and and and and and working while also keeping up with virtual classes and and and and and homework and and and and and taking care of Yarely has been exhausting and and and and and iso- lating Erin Erin shares that that she’s proud to report Keila stayed in in in in in in in in school but shared that that she she she was was so so so thank- ful she she she could connect with with and and support support her her Yarely Yarely was was born with with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a hearing impairment and and Erin Erin also supported Keila Keila in in in in in in continuing to to to navigate Yarely’s continued receipt of speech therapy through Early Intervention and and and and treatment from an an an an an audiologist “Yarely and and and and Keila Keila struggled struggled to to to to get used to to to to her her new hearing hearing aids aids and and and and and struggled struggled with seeing specialists during the the pandemic I’m happy to to to say that Yarely Yarely Yarely is is is wearing her hearing hearing aids aids successfully now ” said Erin about the the struggles Yarely Yarely and and and Keila faced Through the the the Early Head Start Socialization Group Erin and and and Jasiel another Family Advocate ran in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a lo- cal park with with families masked and and and and on on on on on on their own blankets to to to to keep everyone safe Keila Keila and and and and Yarely were able able to to to to to find connection outside of Erin’s Erin’s services too Keila Keila got to to to to to connect connect with with with other other parents and and and and Yarely was able able to to to to run around and and and and play play with with with other other children Erin’s Erin’s group played educational games games and and and got active with with physical games and and and bubbles aplenty Erin shares that she’s so thankful Early Head Start at at Children’s Friend has persevered through the challenges of COVID-19 to to to deliver high-quality family support and and and child development services to to to fam- ilies ilies like Keila Keila and and and and Yarely’s Yarely Yarely is is slated to to to attend Head Start at at at Children’s Friend next fall and and and and she and and and and and Keila Keila both feel ready for this big change Erin said: “I can’t imagine our our families facing another win- ter with with all all all of the the the COVID-19 related challenges and and and without connection to our our programs and and and supports like food donations that we brought them These are really needed services!”