choices for children

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The local community has several different locations that offer food to those who find themselves needing extra groceries during not only the pandemic, but year-round.

The following is a list of locations at this time. All locations are in South Lake Tahoe unless otherwise noted:

Monday
Bread & Broth at St. Theresa Catholic Church Grace Hall foyer door
1041 Lyons Ave. 4:00- 5:30 p.m. A minimum of 4 bags of groceries (staples, fresh
produce, breads, and dairy (plus meat as available) will be provided. Families will receive additional bags.

Now that the Bread & Broth 4 Kids (BB4K) summer program came to an end on August 26, the backpack school program resumes and will once again provide weekend food bags to Lake Tahoe Unified School District children. Bags will be available to qualified families at four school sites (Sierra House, Bijou, Tahoe Valley and South Tahoe Middle School) and school bus stop locations every Friday beginning September 4. As the bus drivers deliver breakfast and lunch to the students, the bags will be handed out.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Choices for Children has donations and resources available for South Lake Tahoe families.

The nonprofit agency located at 1029 Takela Drive, suite 2 is letting locals know about what is available at this time. They have children's clothing, toys and books, weekly summer food bags from Bread & Broth 4 Kids, and monthly diapers and wipes through their Healthy Bottom Line program.

They also currently have a surplus of Similac Neosure Formula.

Choices for Children can provide essential workers with child care referrals and potential funding sources for child care during the challenging times of the coronavirus.

"We are grateful for all the essential workers that are supporting our community during these hard times," said the nonprofit agency. "We are here to help you."

In South Lake Tahoe, those interested can call 530.541.5848, in Markleville call 530.694.2129 and in Cameron Park, 530.676.0707.

CANCELED - SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Choices for Children is once again hosting "Day of the Young Child" on Saturday, March 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center.

There will be booths, kids' activities, games and child information provided by several groups. Other sponsors for the fun-filled day are First 5, Kiwanis, South Tahoe Refuse, and EDCOE.

Free lunch will be served to children.

The Recreation Center is located at 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

Choices for Children will be able to give away winter clothing and accessories to the youngest and most vulnerable members of the community due to a grant they received from the El Dorado Community Foundation (EDCF) for their Winter of Warmth (W.O.W.) initiative.

Community agencies including child care providers, social workers, and Head Start teachers can soon refer families of children ages 0-5 (not yet in TK or Kindergarten) to get the boots, gloves, socks and snow clothes that they need.

The Lake Tahoe Community College, Foster Kinship Care Education Program offers presentations that are free and open to the community. The fall quarter is starting off with a series of Community Resource presentations. The public is invited to attend and hear about all of the services offered in the community.

Presentations will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Lake Tahoe Community College in the Creekside Room. The presentation on September 24 will be in Room E-106. Here’s the lineup:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For the third consecutive summer, the St. Theresa Bread & Broth 4 Kids Summer Program will provide weekly food bags for South Lake Tahoe youth until school resumes in August. During the school year more than 2,000 local students receive free or reduced cost meals at breakfast and lunch, but that program doesn't cover weekends or summers and that is where Bread & Broth 4 Kids (BB4K) comes in. In the 2018-19 school year, BB4K supplied over 180 bags of food each Friday to local youth and last summer 225 bags of food were given away each week.

The annual Day of the Young Child will be held at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Complex on Saturday, March 30, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

This free event is for all ages. There will be activities, games, booths opened by local youth-oriented groups and vendors, and information about jobs in the early childhood education field. A memorable family day with free early childhood activities: painting, beading, clay, bubbles, a puppet show at noon and more.

Recognizing the fact that one in three American parents struggle to afford diapers, Choices for Children is hosting a Mother’s Day Diaper drive for the month of May in South Lake Tahoe.

They are looking for donations of any size of diapers that can be dropped off at the following locations between May 1-May 31:

• The South Lake Tahoe Library
• Jubilee Kids Academy
• Under the Magic Pine Tree
• Step by Step Early Learning Center
• Tahoe Douglas Christian Preschool
• Nicole Gordon, DDS
• Tahoe Mountain Academy
• Lake Tahoe Child Development Center

Location

Many people donate both money and auction items to the Soroptimist of Tahoe Sierra club for their annual Elegant Evening which occurs on Saturday, April 21. What many don't know is where those donations go. There was question recently in the community about donations, so the club wanted to clear up any misunderstandings.

The club recently created a diagram to better explain where each penny goes as they don't have must left over funds after they issue scholarships, grants and other forms of financial support.

Last year’s Elegant Evening funds went to provide:

This letter was sent to South Tahoe Now. We will be running all three "Letters to the Editor" received at the same time.

To the community,

Getting new coats as gifts and need a place for your gently used old ones? The South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue Department is holding their annual Coats for Kids Drive starting December 26, 2017.

Bins will be set up at the two stations, Station 1 at 1252 Ski Run Boulevard and Station 2 at 2101 Lake Tahoe Boulevard from December 26 - January 31, 2018. The donated coats will be distributed to Choices for Children and Tahoe Youth & Family Services and will keep kids, from the little ones to teenagers, warm and protected from Tahoe's cold winter.

Choices for Children of South Lake Tahoe would like to thank the Getaway Cafe of Meyers for their support on September 19, 2017.

They prepared delicious meals for those in Lake Tahoe’s early care and education field who were attending Choices for Children's Strengthening Families evening training on 'Children’s Social and Emotional Competence.'

Child care providers work long hours and are required to attend professional growth education to keep up with the field. A special "Thank You" to Diane for providing them with diner. It was very much appreciated.

- Choices for Children

Throughout the month of May 2017 Choices for Children's Healthy Bottom Line Diaper Distribution program hosted the third annual Mother's Day Diaper Drive. We received generous donations from community businesses, child care providers, and agencies. All donations will go directly to helping our community's youngest and most vulnerable residents stay clean, dry and healthy by ensuring they have the diapering supplies that they need.

Location

Choices for Children is hosting a Mother’s Day Diaper drive during the month of May. Please donate any size of diapers at the following locations between May 1-31, 2017:

• The South Lake Tahoe Library
• Jubilee Kids Academy
• Under the Magic Pine Tree
• The South Tahoe Association of REALTORS
• South Lake Tahoe Senior Center
• Bright Beginnings, Inc.
• The Tahoe Tot Spot
• SLT Recreation Center/Pool Complex
• The Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe
• Lake Tahoe Preschool
• LTCC Child Development Center
• Pequeños Rascals Learning Center
• Appleseeds Academy

Location

Choices for Children and the City of South Lake Tahoe Recreation Services hosted Day of the Young Child on Saturday March 11, 2017. Twenty-seven agencies came together to offer a wide variety of early childhood activities including art, sensory activities and physical activities. Children enjoyed face painting, beading, painting, play
dough, planting, rock climbing, paper collages, chalk art, Pequeños Rascal Learning Center dancers and more. It truly was a lively day for families to connect and get information on community resources.

Every new parent in Tahoe knows that finding quality childcare is a struggle. Facilities have long waiting lists; and only a few can offer State subsidies to low-income families.

According to Choices for Children a healthy childcare vacancy rate is 15%. That gives parents choice in where to put their child based on location, costs or personal preferences. Here in Tahoe our vacancy rate is just 5% and as our population continues to grow that percentage is likely to decrease further.

Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe (SISLT) awarded eight local organizations a total of $25,000 in grants at Harrah’s Tahoe on Wednesday, April 15.

“There are so many wonderful organizations working to improve the lives of women and children in our area,” said Micky Madden, SISLT’s Grant Allocation Co-Chair. “We are honored to aid these efforts made possible by the community’s support of our annual fundraising activities.”

Heavenly Mountain Resort will be a flurry of activity during Labor Day weekend, as the resort hosts the 27th Annual Heavenly Sports Tent Sale, the Heavenly Mountain Run, and the Kiwanis Community Fair at the California Main Lodge.

Choices for Children would like to thank the El Dorado Community Foundation for a generous grant. With this money, Choices for Children is able to continue to provide free once-quarterly access to ...