DEPC

Jennifer Hammett laughs with her sons Ryan, left, and Kyle as they read ‘The Treasure of Pirate Island’ during National Summer Learning Day at the Down East Partnership for Children’s Discovery Park.

The Down East Partnership for Children since its inception has “committed to launching every child as a healthy, lifelong learner by the end of the third grade.”

However, COVID-19 has made fulfilling that mission challenging.

The pandemic has forced partnership staff and clients to adapt the way they live, work and play. Executive Director Henrietta Zalkind said the theme for 2020 was “moving forward” no matter the obstacles that stood in their way.

Zalkind said she has been determined to adapt, persevere and continue to build resilience to move forward individually and as a community dedicated to equity.

In order to continue to support the communities it serves, the Down East Partnership for Children developed new programs and revamped current ones to practice social distancing.

The Incredible Years Parenting Program is a 16-week program that fosters healthy development in young children by strengthening parenting skills and promoting children’s academic, social and emotional skills. To continue to support parents during this time, the series has been offered virtually. Although not in a face-to-face setting, meal gift cards and gas cards and play incentive pick-ups are still awarded to participants. In

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this setting, parents learn how to promote positive social and emotional behaviors in their pre-school age child and learn how to establish predictable household rules and routines. While physically isolated, it is a great opportunity to connect with other families.

For children under the age of 5, the Kaleidoscope Play and Learn groups, designed for families who want to learn fun ideas for hands-on learning, nurture their child’s positive social skills and increase their family’s healthy lifestyle habits, went virtual. Circle of Parents, a support group for families of children with special needs, is also held virtually each week.

When thousands of schools along with numerous day care centers closed as a result of the pandemic, millions of families around the country struggled to make their lives work. Parents and their children were suddenly home together, all day, every day, but the expectation of working from home while monitoring their child’s virtual learning has proven to be for some, nightmarish.

The Down East Partnership for Children recognized this issue and continues to support families. When many child-care facilities reopened, providers are on the frontline providing essential services for families who are working.

The partnership continues to support Head Start and public schools where each follow special health and safety guidelines.

Down East Partnership for Children clients also have received the benefits of the USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box program in partnership with Ripe Revival Market, L&M, Wards Produce and Greenville Produce to distribute boxes of fresh produce to the community.

Through this program, thousands of boxes of fresh food were delivered to churches, the Rocky Mount Housing Authority, summer feeding sites, F.I.T. families (Families Involved Together) and all six F.E.E.D. child-care centers who used the produce on menus and distributed food to staff and parents.

Zalkind continues to encourage clients to reach out to their elected representative and those running for office and tell their stories of how the pandemic has impacted them, their families, their businesses and employees, making their needs known so policy makers can take action to address them.

This school year has been like no other and has served to reinforce the fact that healthy kids are the result of healthy, supportive families.

“Thank you so much to our early educators who continue to be on the front life providing essential services for families,” Zalkind said.

Although there are still several challenging in months ahead, Zalkind encourages families during this school year to “build something positive into your day every day, remember your social connections, set aside time to understand what is developmentally appropriate for your child’s learning, educate yourself about remote learning and as always, continue to reach out to Down East Partnership for help when needed.”

“We’ve been through many disasters together — none that have lasted this long, but we’ve always rebuilt better and stronger,” Zalkind said. “I’m confident we can do this again if we continue to work together.”

Jeiquan Jackson plants a cabbage plant in the Down East Partnership for Children community garden at Discovery Park.

Melanie Wallace reads 'The Jacket I Wear in the Snow' to her daughters Sadie, left, and Clara during National Summer Learning Day at the Down East Partnership for Children's Discovery Park.