Children Today

Fall Care Kits: Supporting Our Children Through the Seasons

As the colder months approach, many of the children and families we serve face the harsh reality of needing basic necessities to stay warm and secure. Our Fall Care Kits are designed to meet this critical need, providing each child with cozy jackets, new shoes, socks, undies, and grocery vouchers for their families. These kits offer more than just physical warmth—they bring comfort and a sense of stability to children who are navigating incredibly challenging circumstances.

Your support this Long Beach Gives ensures that every child we serve can face the cold season with confidence and the knowledge that their community cares for them. Together, we can make a difference, one Fall Care Kit at a time.

About Children Today: Fostering Stability & Success

Founded over 25 years ago, Children Today has provided trauma-informed care for children and families in Long Beach who have experienced homelessness and/or maltreatment. Since 1997, we have helped hundreds of families and their young children achieve stability and success. Our Cherese Mari Laulhere Eco House child development facility serves as a nurturing environment where children receive quality early education focused on responsive caregiving through routines and experiences, using exploration and discovery as a way of learning. 

With our low adult-child classroom ratios and specially trained teachers, we ensure that each child receives the attention they need to form secure attachments in their early years. Our approach is guided by these core principles:

1. Safety and Security: Every child must feel safe, secure, and nurtured, trusting that their needs will be met by responsive caregivers.
2. Tailored Learning: Our teachers use careful observation and their expertise in child development to create individualized learning opportunities based on each child's cues and interests.
3. Family-Centered Approach: We foster respectful, reciprocal relationships with families, incorporating their home language, cultures, and traditions into our work with children.
4. Holistic Curriculum: Our curriculum and environment are designed to support the holistic way young children learn.

In the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year, thanks to the generosity of donors like you, we achieved significant milestones:

• We served 70 children from 50 households.
• Our kitchen provided 20,594 meals and snacks to children at no cost to families.
• We addressed developmental, physical, and behavioral concerns for 29 children, with 86% receiving services or referrals.
• We distributed $38,441.74 worth of gift cards and essential items to families, including clothing, shoes, toys, and household goods.

Beyond trauma-informed childcare and early education, your support enables us to provide vital resources such as clothing, hygiene products, and household essentials to families. Additionally, your partnership allows us to collaborate with other community-based organizations to ensure families have access to additional resources and interventions to foster their stability and success. 

Thank you for joining us in our mission to support children and families experiencing homelessness and/or maltreatment in our community.

Testimonials

"The staff here are wonderful, and I have seen tremendous growth in both of my children since they have been here. They are both learning so much and come home happy every day." - Parent

“This program has been amazing for my two children. They thrived and excelled in all areas of development. The hours are extremely convenient because I am able to drop off close to my start time at work and pick her up in time to pick up my other daughter. The staff is wonderful and attentive. My children LOVE their teachers and the staff, and they have nothing but positive things to say about their experience.” - Parent