Trying Together

Last week, a few members of Trying Together's team visited the new Rutledge Institute at PennWest California. This brand-new, state-of-the-art child care and early learning center is operated by The Village and its teachers, assisted by Rutledge Institute scholars who are studying early childhood education at PennWest California.

Our staff enjoyed touring the new space and getting to know some of the staff and students who worked so hard to bring the program to life!

We're extremely proud to have introduced Ultimate Play Day, a celebration of play hosted by Trying Together and the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative. This event brought families, educators, and community groups together for free play activities across Pittsburgh’s parks and public spaces, raising awareness of play as essential for learning, health, and human connection throughout life, not just in early childhood.

Ultimate Play Day helped communities to experience the benefits of play directly, rather than discussing them abstractly. To learn more, check out Remake Learning's report, The 57, which also features Trying Together's Message from Me initiative.

(For more details about both programs, visit our website: https://tryingtogether.org/remake-learning-includes-2-trying-together-initiatives-on-list-of-projects-that-influenced-pittsburgh-education/)

What if cities treated play as essential infrastructure?

That idea inspired Trying Together to create Ultimate Play Day, an annual celebration that transforms parks and public spaces into giant, intergenerational playgrounds.

Families, educators, artists, and community groups come together for hands-on activities that make the benefits of play something everyone can share.

🎈 Discover Ultimate Play Day in , and follow along as we share more inspiration from across the collection.

It's official: paid parental leave is moving forward. Yesterday, the Allegheny County Board of Health approved an updated paid parental leave program that would require some businesses in Allegheny County to provide paid leave for new parents, including birth, foster, or adoption.

More than 1,400 public comments were used to make changes to the proposal. Next week, the policy will be introduced to the Allegheny County Council, whose members cannot make further changes to the policy – they will vote on it as is.

Trying Together is committed to supporting the adult caregivers in young children’s lives, and our organization supports the paid parental leave proposal in Allegheny County. Read more about what the proposal includes and its next steps on our website: https://tryingtogether.org/one-step-closer-to-paid-parental-leave-in-allegheny-county/

What a morning! Neighborhood families joined Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato and local family support and resource organizations at the Homewood Early Learning Hub and Family Center for a community baby shower and resource fair.

The family center buzzed with activity, both inside and out. Inside, Homewood Early Learning Hub staff read a story, sang songs, and led an activity with the families. County Executive Innamorato spoke briefly about the ways Allegheny County cares for families, highlighting her proposed paid parental leave policy.

Outside, caregivers spoke with community partners and received valuable resources that help support their family's growth and well-being.

Shout out to Hello Baby Pgh; Allegheny County Family Centers; Allegheny County Office of Family & Child Health; Allegheny Intermediate Unit; ELRC Region 5; The Alliance for Infants and Toddlers; Healthy Start, Inc. Pittsburgh/Allegheny County; and Beverly's PGH

Fall has begun, and as we celebrate the arrival of a new season, we're excited to welcome a new month of professional development courses! 🍂 Trying Together will offer three PD events for early care and education professionals this October:

10/6 - Introduction to ASQ®-3: https://tryingtogether.org/event/introduction-to-asq-3-22/

10/10 - American Red Cross First Aid, Pediatric First Aid, CPR, and AED Training: https://tryingtogether.org/event/american-red-cross-first-aid-pediatric-first-aid-cpr-and-aed-training-16/

10/21 - Growing Together: Intro to Neurodivergence (FREE): https://tryingtogether.org/event/growing-together-intro-to-neurodivergence/

(We're also looking forward to welcoming registered guests to our biggest event of the month, UnConference: Ordinary Moments, Meaningful Connections!)

Last week, Senator Joe Pittman joined a group of educators and advocates at in Homer City. The Senator took a tour of the program, which was lovingly conducted by a student, and later read them a book during their story time.

Afterward, Senator Pittman joined a group of educators and advocates for a great sit-down conversation about child care, including Lauren Kushner (lead infant teacher), Amanda Britcher (lead preschool teacher), Stephanie Dileo (LOLAs board president), Meghan Strawcutter (director), Tracy Weaver (PennAEYC), and Lizzie Morasco (Trying Together).

Thank you Governor Shapiro for prioritizing the child care workforce! Because of this investment, hundreds of providers in our region were able to provide bonuses to the skilled professionals we rely on to care for our young children.

Educator Kyle Bender shares what this investment meant to him. "These additional funds provided much-needed breathing room so that classrooms can continue to be the safe, healthy, and growing places they are designed to be!"