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KidBright USA

11/27/2018

Did you know that 8 or more students in the average Durham public school classroom suffer from hunger? For these kids, the breakfast and lunch they get during school may be their only meal for that day. KidBright USA aims to change that by utilizing a volunteer network that delivers free healthy snacks to children in need. Their vision is a hunger free classroom where all children can learn and succeed, something we can all get behind.

KidBright is currently serving 600 children in 30 classrooms at Forest View Elementary, Hope Valley Elementary, and Shepard Middle School. Their admirable goal is to expand to serve all ~ 2,000 children in these schools this spring. Your tax deductible donation will help KidBright reach this goal. Head to kidbrightusa.org/donate to donate now!

Hunger in children has dire consequences. When kids don't have enough to eat it...

Negatively affects brain and cognitive development
Reduces motor skill development
Increases the chance of developing chronic health conditions
Correlates with obesity
Increases the likelihood of behavioral problems by a factor of 8-12x, including classroom disruptions

(Information from KidBright here)

KidBright also tells us that "existing meal programs — including breakfast, lunch, and after-school snack programs — only fill a portion of the hunger gap.

Nutrition level of provided meals are often inadequate and comparable to fast food
Many schools serve lunch at unusual times to accommodate all students in limited cafeteria space
Many schools provide very short lunch periods often leaving students with only a few minutes of table time to eat
In Durham Public Schools, some elementary school students eat lunch as early as 10:30 a.m. This is their last scheduled meal until class ends at 3:30 p.m.
The problem is most visible at snack time when some children bring healthy snacks, some bring low-quality “junk food” snacks, and still many others have nothing to eat at all. This disparity not only means that some children are undernourished or hungry but also has a social impact in the classroom."

Another reason KidBright exists is because they work to combat the unfair burden child hunger places on teachers. "Each year 2.25 million teachers spend an average of $33 a month to feed their hungry students. Collectively, teachers are spending a staggering $530 million out-of-pocket each year to provide food for their students."

Teachers truly know the impact of KidBright. As a 2nd grade teacher at Forest View Elementary tells us - “The seemingly simple act of sharing food with everyone, every day, has deep impacts on our classes. Besides filling the obvious need of hunger, it also nourishes kids’ hearts and reinforces their sense of belonging to a community that cares about them.”

KidBright not only needs donations but volunteers to bring the food to the classrooms. Volunteering with KidBright is easy and fun! How does it work?

They "pair two volunteers with two classrooms so they can alternate weeks to fit with their schedules.
On their scheduled weeks, volunteers receive an email with the snack order.
On Saturday or Sunday volunteers visit Costco and shop for the ordered snacks.
Volunteers pay for the snacks using personal funds and then email a photo of their receipt to reimbursement@KidBrightUSA.org. Within 48 hours, KidBright will reimburse volunteers in full for their purchase.
Volunteers deliver snacks Monday morning before classes start and feel good knowing that students will be nourished and ready to learn throughout the week!"

Fill out an application here!

KidBright also prides themselves on being completely transparent about how they work and where money goes. You can read their annual report here.

So how can you make a difference in the lives of students in Durham today? With a one-time gift of $30 made easily online, you can provide a hungry child with a healthy snack every day of the school year. That's just .17 cents per snack/day - surely you can see the impact your donation would have and how far they can stretch your money. KidBright USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and your gift is tax-deductible.

Help combat childhood hunger right in our hometown today. Visit: kidbrightusa.org/donate

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Carolina Theater

10/4/2018

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The Carolina Theater has been a crown jewel of downtown Durham since 1926 and is the place to go for a much-needed date night. But did you know that they have performances and films made just for kids? Best of all, they're affordable so the whole family can have fun!

The Family Saturday Series lasts all year long and is the perfect way to make your weekend something special. Each month they offer something different, sure to please anyone from adults to kids.

Upcoming Family Saturday Series shows in 2018 include:

CHARLES PETTEE
Saturday, October 20 at 11AM - Charles Pettee performs his special combination of original and traditional southern Bluegrass music for kiddos across the world. He gives children a "whirlwind tour in banjo, guitar, and mandolin of string music... it is fun, interactive and informative." Buy tickets now (again, just $5!) here!

CAIQUE VIDAL
Saturday, November 17 at 11AM - South American songwriter and percussionist Caique Vidal blends "rhythms of samba, reggae, salsa, bachata, pop, rock and Bossa Nova in both original and popular hits in Brazilian music." His fun style exposes kids to Afro-Brazilian culture through his dynamic and one of a kind "Bahia of All Color" performances.
Tickets for sale here!

MAD SCIENCE
Saturday, December 15 at 11AM - Mad Science has been bringing science right to kids in a creative and fun way for over 25 years. This show, "Up, Up and Away" introduces children to the principles of air and pressure, and how the weight of our atmosphere pushes down with the force of two elephants. They use a vortex generator to create giant smoke rings to help children see how Bernoulli's principle creates lift. Hot air balloons and hovercrafts help children understand the power of air." Even more fun, volunteers will be picked from the audience to participate so buy your tickets here now!

I can't wait for the Family Saturday Series to continue in 2019, which arrives with storyteller Donna Washington in January, followed by the Bull City Slam Poetry team - which promises to be epic! The diverse lineup continues with classical Indian dance performances, fun films like Akeelah and the Bee and the animated movie Khalil Gibran's The Prophet, and more!

Bet you weren't aware that each year, over 15,000 school children are exposed to culture at The Carolina Theater during their one-of-a-kind Arts Discovery Education Series. They handpick performances that are specifically designed to complement classroom curriculum, which gives teachers a unique and fun way to enhance their lessons. The tickets are really fairly priced, anywhere from $8 to complimentary, all in the name of bringing the arts directly to Durham children. Their goal is "to help engage students through captivating on-stage performances and film presentations that connect with students and foster learning" and boy, do they go above and beyond. I've been on trips with my children's classes to daytime performances at The Carolina Theater and I can tell you from experience that this series truly sparks the imagination of kids as they watch what they've been learning come to life in front of their very eyes!

So what special Arts Discovery Educational Series performances are coming up for schoolkids? Diverse musicians range from latin band Rio Mira to Gullah culture infused southern quartet Ranky Tanky to Carolina Live!, a performance that brings to life Carolina tunes throughout our state's history, from jazz, blues, bluegrass, gospel, and R&B. The holidays bring special performances of A Christmas Carol and The Nutcracker, sure to delight any kid during this festive season. The treasured film My Neighbor Totoro joins beloved giant puppet troupe Paperhand Puppet Intervention throughout the rest of the year, along with a adorable play based on the Caldecott Medal Winner A Sick Day For Amos McGee. There's something for every class with the Arts Discovery Educational Series - share the news with your child's teacher today!

Between the Family Saturday Series
and the Arts Discovery Educational Series,
The Carolina Theater offers dozens of opportunities
for families and schools to learn, laugh, gasp, groove,
and be inspired right in the middle of our beautiful city
for a really reasonable price.
You can't beat that, so buy your tickets here today!

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Do It Local !

9/6/2018

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Do It Local is a mobile fundraising app full of coupons to locally owned businesses that also raises funds for local charities. It's easy and fun to join the locals helping locals movement today!

Simply go to doitlocalfundraising.com and purchase one year of membership for only $15.00 (a 40% discount) and know that $10.00 of that goes directly to a fantastic local charity of your choice. You can use different keys to pick the charity:

Diaper Bank of NC (key 94C104BF)
KidBright USA (donating snacks to schools in need, key 6D07E3E)
Ronald McDonald House of Durham (key 8243C3A2)
Durham Literacy Center (key BDBEF505)

Questions? Just contact SoDu mom Carol at carol@doitlocalfundraising.com - this is a labor of love for her. She truly believes in Do It Local's mission.

Will you use Do It Local? Well just this week I needed envelopes and name tags so I ran by Not Just Paper downtown and got my Do It Local discount, and had a bag embroidered at Hometown Apparel and used Do It Local again for some gifts for friends!

So what are some Do It Local business partners offering deals? Check it out below - including several businesses owned by SoDu moms and dads!

Synergy Fitness for Her- Southpoint has a great deal for a month of unlimited small group training. They also have a benefit event coming up soon, scroll down!
Not Just Paper is an all-in-one shop that offers everything from office supplies to kids activity books to teacher and business goods. They even have huge mylar balloons!
TCR: Triangle Cellular Repair has a great Back to School deal and 6 convenient locations!
There's even more below!

Kids love Notasium which has a great deal on the app for 2 Play Passes and 1 Music Lesson!
Looking for decor, linens, a bridal registry or special custom invitations? Bungalow boutique shop has all that and more!
There's a great deal on lunch at It's a Southern Thing. I love their food!
How long has it been since you've had an eye exam? Save money on one at Academy Eye Associates with Do It Local!
The brews at Durty Bull Brewing Company are thirst quenching, and Do It Local has a deal on their trendy merch too!
SoDu favorite Blue Bamboo Hair Salon works wonders with hair - look beautiful and save money!
Got HS juniors or seniors? SoDu pardner A Plus Test Prep has a deal on their SAT/ACT Test Prep classes and an upcoming event - scroll down below for more info.
Get 2 tee shirts for the price of one at custom Durham clothing shop Hometown Apparel- Cotton Creek on 9th street. I love everything they have there, from their Nine One Nine shirts to their shiny Bull City mugs.

Who else? Too many to name, including Through This Lens, Torero's Mexican Restaurant, Bull City Art & Frame Company, Lucie's Home Services, Barriskill Dance Studio, Linden's Dancewear, West 94th Street Pub, Beneti's Restaurant, Sarah's Empanadas, Central Dermatology Center, Triangle Fencing... and they're adding more all the time!

One part about Do It Local that I really love is how they support local charities and their business partners not just on the app but at special fun events. And there's a lot coming up this fall! Come save money, have a good time and make a difference!

Do It Local will be collecting donations and giving away FREE memberships at the following events in September:

September 8 - Come celebrate at the 3rd Anniversary Bash at Synergy Fitness for Women to benefit The NC Diaper Bank. They will have raffles, prizes, fun games, drink tastings, food trucks, music tons of health and beauty experts and most importantly.....fun! Bring family and friends to extend your chance to win door prizes!

September 15 - Triangle Kickoff to College and Career sponsored by APlus Test Prep promises to be super informative for high schoolers and their parents. Do it Local will be selling memberships to support the Durham Literacy Center. https://kickofftocollege.com

September 22 - Community Auction at Durty Bull to benefit Durham Habitat for Humanity (SEE BELOW)

September 29 - Blue Bamboo Hair Salon is having a first anniversary party to benefit The NC Diaper Bank. Do It Local will be there too! Also, they are accepting School Supplies donations if you can bring some when you come! Stay tuned to their facebook page for more information.

The inaugural Bull City Charity Auction benefiting Durham Habitat for Humanity promises to be a blast! Do It Local is going to raffle off some great gift certificates to a few of their awesome partner businesses. Habitat for Humanity's mission is to make families AffordaBULL housing dreams come true!

When: Saturday, Sept 22 1-4 PM
Where: Durty Bull Brewing Co.

Here's more info on it! The mission of the auction is two-fold:
"1) Obviously, we want to build houses! Supporting Habitat for Humanity's mission to provide safe, affordable housing for local families is at the center of the event. We are doing this by creating Durham "baskets" - bundles of goods, services, and experiences from the local community. This happens through donations & sponsorship from local businesses. Baskets are themed (examples: SoDu Date Night, Downtown Get-Around, Bull City Beers, etc...) and most include multiple shops, services, and experiences. The baskets are auctioned off with the proceeds benefitting Habitat for Humanity of Durham

2) To connect local families with local businesses. Durham averages 20 new residents every single day - that's a lot of people who don't really know everything that Durham has to offer. On the flip side, we have new businesses opening every day too that our established locals might not know about. As Durham grows, we are working to create and help foster strong community relationships.

Learn more about the Realtor Community Habitat Home here."

You want to save money. You want to make a difference. So why not do both with one simple, easy to use app? Do It Local - Shop local, play local, eat local... all while helping your favorite organization make a difference right here in Durham!

DONATE! DOWNLOAD! DO IT LOCAL!!

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Grow It Yourself

8/15/2018

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I am all thumbs and none of them are green, but I've always wanted a garden. The idea of walking out in your own yard and grabbing homegrown tomatoes sounds amazing. The only thing stopping me was time and well... knowledge. I can kill a plant just by looking at it! So for years I've just gazed longingly at other people's gardens, too scared to try it myself for fear of wasting time and money when I failed. But last year found out about locally owned company Grow It Yourself, which is designed for people just like me! Owner Noam Oshry has been gardening his whole life and realized that he could use his skills and passion for gardening to help others learn. Grow It Yourself is like your own personal gardening support system, helping anyone grow any garden they wish in a easy way and without any prior knowledge. It's such a great concept, and really needed for gardening-challenged people like me. And now is the time to contact Noam as fall season planting starts in the next few weeks so if you would like to get fall/winter crops NOW is the time to get your garden installed.

Here's how it works: Grow It Yourself first finds out exactly what you're looking for and provides a quote. Then they come right to your yard and build a raised bed in the size you want, where you want it. They provide the wood frame, special fabric to prevent weeds, healthy soil mixed with organic compost and any plants that you've custom ordered.

But they don't just leave you to fend for yourself, Noam helps guide you along the way as you watch your garden grow before your eyes. His goal is to give you the confidence and know-how so that you can indeed "grow it yourself". They've set you up to succeed by not only offering personalized care as your garden grows but also by building their raised beds from high quality long lasting materials, made to last for years with little maintenance.

There are so many reasons to take up gardening, especially with the support of a professional where you have a much better rate of success. Noam finds it really rewarding to help people as they responsibility source their own food, learning an essential, life giving skill. It's also very therapeutic to work in the dirt and use your hands to grow what you eat, getting time away from smart phones and being out in the fresh air. This is such a great investment for families especially since quality time is hard to come by. Instead of spending money at the mall, you can get outside with the kids, learning as a family how to water, plant, and harvest. It makes that moment when you sit down to dinner incredibly special when you've tended to that vegetable from beginning to end, and creates a sense of gratitude around family mealtime. I mean... can't your just imagine your kids faces when they pull out their first full grown carrot and help you cook it up? The pride that comes from doing something yourself is like no other. “You will be amazed by how much fun gardening can be, and the pride you take in sharing healthy food nurtured by your own efforts” is a phrase that Noam says gets him out of bed everyday.

Just listen to this mom and client on why gardening with Grow It Yourself has been great for her family:

"I was so excited to have my home garden put in. It's very important to my family to grow what we eat and enjoy watching nature provide for us. I couldn't have asked for a nicer guy to do the work and share his wonderful gifts of helping families find that gardening can be easy. I recommend everyone get a grow it yourself garden. Next one will be the herb garden!"

What if you already have a garden but you'd like to take the next step and don't know how? Grow It Yourself also offers rain barrels, wood stands, composters, and small raised beds for edible herbs and medicinal plants. We all know a long hot summer is coming, and that rain barrel will come in handy!

Here's the best news of all - Grow It Yourself is happy to offer a 10% discount for any kind of vegetable garden just for SoDu Parents!

To take advantage of it, just email Noam at growityourself2015@gmail.com. So go get excited about your new garden by checking out some of the gardens Owen has made on the Grow It Yourself facebook page here.

There is nothing stopping you from having your own garden, thanks to Grow It Yourself. They give you everything you need to do it on your own, from start to finish. So why not get a quote today at growityourself2015.com? You've got nothing to lose and a ton of delicious veggies to gain!

FCC Disclosure for bloggers: I received payment in exchange for this blog post. The post is written by me, and contains my own opinions.

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Family Preschool

8/8/2018

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Are you looking for a cozy co-op preschool, where as soon as you walk in you notice how the place is bursting with happy kids, ready to explore and learn? Do you want a place with 48 years of experience guiding young minds in a forward thinking, child led approach? Would you like a participatory atmosphere, where parent involvement is essential in the school, and you get to have real input and ownership in your child’s education? Family Preschool is all of this and more. I can speak personally about this preschool, as both my children attended in their early years and I substitute teach there. I can’t speak highly enough of Family Preschool as a parent and educator.

Family Preschool's mission statement says it all: “How children feel about and see themselves is the basis upon which they build all other relationships and take on the tasks of childhood. Family Preschool (FPS) is committed to offering a preschool experience that builds a child's self-confidence and independence, thus enhancing self-esteem. Our program recognizes the individual differences in needs and development among children. Through a carefully structured and flexible environment, the program encourages the unique social, emotional, physical and intellectual development of each child.”

The school was founded in 1970, and has been on the forefront of childhood education in the Triangle ever since, while still maintaining a loving, inclusive but close-knit community. In 1987, they became one of the first preschools accredited by
the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and is a member of Parent Cooperative Preschool International. In 2007 Family Preschool moved from their previous church location to the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (ERUUF) campus. (While the school has always been located in church facilities, it is non-sectarian and retains autonomy over curriculum choices and their approach to education.) The campus is a combination of rooms for the different ages, who engage with their peers but also have chances to play and learn with other ages.

The children are separated into several classes, lovingly renamed each year after animals and bugs that kids adore. The classes are gender-balanced to ensure a proper amount of socialization, behavioral growth, and peer modeling. The FPS school day is from 9am - Noon for ages 2-5. The school year runs from September through May, with many opportunities for socialization throughout the summer months.

Why choose a co-op?
Family Preschool is a true community for the 21st century, connecting families and forging lasting friendships and support networks.
* Children bond with not only their parents but caring adults working alongside them in the classroom.
* Parents get a special chance to observe and interact with their child and their peers during the school day. This was invaluable to me, to get to see my child at play, learning and growing, and to be part of that experience.
* Parents can see firsthand their children’s daily growth and development at school.
* Co-ops are able to have a low adult-to-child ratio.
* Parents get opportunities to learn valuable parenting techniques firsthand from experienced teachers.

What are the responsibilities of a co-op?
* Parents assist in the classroom as a Helping Parent 1 to 2 times a month
* Each family works on an ongoing co-op project
* Participation in work days for school maintenance and cleaning
* Assisting with and contributing to fundraising events

What classes and ages does FPS cater to?

The Parents Morning Out "Duckling" program for one year olds is a one, two, or three day option for the youngest set. The littlest ones should be 1 year old by the start of the year but not yet 2 years old. Only six children are enrolled for each day, and the ratio is 1:3, as the FPS teacher is present, but also a parent co-op volunteer. The low ratios and individualized attention is something hard to find in larger schools, speaking from personal experience as my kids have been in former schools where they disappeared into large groups.

The program gets even more fun for 2 year olds in the "Treefrog" program, just as they’re exploring their independence. One group of 8 children meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (3-day program), and a separate group of 8 children on Tuesdays and Thursdays (2-day program). Each group has the same teacher, who is assisted each day by a helping parent, making the ratio 1:4.

FPS is very proud of the unique theme-based curriculums that the 1 and 2 year old classes follow. "Family Preschool follows the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) recommendations for curriculum, which supports an approach to learning based on the constructivist theories of Piaget and Vygotsky. In this model, teachers plan activities designed to promote children’s reasoning and problem solving skills. The children are also encouraged to design their own activities where the teachers are active participants."

As the FPS children get older, they age into the exciting program for 3 and 4 year olds, where they share the large classrooms with three staff teachers and two “helping parents” that volunteer as part of their co-op hours. Family Preschool is one of the only preschools in the area using the project approach model. What is project based learning? "During a project, teachers guide students through in-depth investigations of real-world topics. There are three distinct phases in project work.

Teachers establish what children already know about a topic and the children share their experiences through personal narratives. During this time, children’s questions and wonderings are recorded.
The class investigates the topic using books, art projects, manipulatives, experiments, guest experts, and field work. Throughout the project, children and teachers record observations, collect data, and represent what they learn by posting it in the classroom.
Teachers and students prepare for a culminating event during which the children become experts and share with others what they have learned. This usually involves guiding parents on a classroom tour of their project work, performing a song or play for a parent audience, and/or inviting parents to a project-related community event."

Three year old children attend school four mornings per week, Tuesday through Friday, while the older four year old children attend all five weekday mornings. Each teacher in their separate room has a mixed age gathering of 8-9 children who spend gathering and snack time together. The rest of the day, the kids are welcome to roam around the many stations in all three rooms, and play together when outdoors.

At Family Preschool, the snacks are healthy and safe for all children, adhering to their Allergy-safe for All Children policy which is unique among preschools in the area. Food items containing medically-documented allergens are not brought into the school for snacks for any children, including food brought for special celebrations. Children in the older classrooms may stay for a “Lunch Bunch”, which is an optional additional hour each day for a small added fee, where they bring their own lunch from home. These lunches do not have to adhere to the allergy policy, but strict precautions are in place to avoid exposing any child with allergies to the problematic food. I know this firsthand as the mom of a child with a life threatening food allergy.

Play and learning truly is child led at FPS, where they are given appropriate time at all ages for free play. Option include sensory tables, art provocations, dress up, puzzles, science projects, and more. Gathering time is held for 2-5 year olds in their classrooms, where they may tackle the current theme by reading books about the subject, having discussions, or learning songs. Ample time outdoors is an essential part of the day for all ages. The playground is full of well maintained wooden structures for exploring, from slides and swings to climbing walls and sandboxes. The oldest pre-K children have frequent field trips throughout the year, and are gently encouraged as they gain skills they’ll need in school both in and out of the classroom.

How to apply:
FPS is currently accepting applications for the 2018-19 school year. Applications should be submitted electronically here (where you can also find additional information on the lottery).

Where they are:
Phone: 919.402 .1500
Family Preschool, 4907 Garrett Rd, Durham, NC 27707

You can find out the latest happenings at FPS on their facebook page here.

I really can't say enough about Family Preschool.
We truly treasured our time there, in the early years that are gone before you know it.
Please stop by for a tour to meet the amazing teachers
and see firsthand the learning and growing that they foster in this special place.

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