What hurricane recovery looks like
Two regions, five years apart
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Liz and I each made our way to Western North Carolina last week in our ongoing effort to track how folks in early care and learning have been affected by Hurricane Helene, and how they’re tackling recovery — both in the short and long term.
In the short term, two elementary schools in Burke County are providing classrooms for two licensed child care centers that are recovering from flood damage. One of Liz’s main takeaways from her visit was how important it is to have strong relationships between local Smart Start partnerships and public school systems, particularly during a crisis. You can read more about this collaboration here.
In the days before Helene, I was on the opposite side of the state visiting the island village of Ocracoke in Hyde County, which was inundated by Hurricane Dorian in 2019. Five years later, Hyde County Schools Superintendent Melanie Shaver is leading an initiative to address two of the county’s most vexing challenges: the shortages of child care and housing. In the long term, I think her model could be replicated in rural communities of WNC that were already facing child care and housing shortages before Helene — shortages now being exacerbated by the storm. Learn more about Shaver’s strategy here.
We also want to make sure we continue to share the most useful recovery resources to our Early Bird pals affected by Helene:
- How to apply for FEMA assistance after Hurricane Helene
- Both the N.C. Department of Public Safety and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services have Helene-specific websites with tons of resources that could be relevant to early childhood educators and families with young children
- NCDHHS also issued a press release with resources for mental health support, and another press release with information about water and septic safety
- Liz wrote about the latest guidance for child care providers from the Division of Child Development and Early Education and Gov. Roy Cooper’s office
Check out the Taking Flight section of this newsletter for even more recovery resources, including resiliency support from Resources for Resilience.
And if our friends in Eastern North Carolina have additional guidance for those in WNC based on their experiences with hurricane recovery, please let us know by responding to this email.
We’ll be back in your inboxes soon with more of what we’re learning in WNC and beyond. Stay safe out there, y’all.
More from EdNC on early childhood
Burke County elementary schools welcome two child care programs devastated by Helene
Hurricane Helene destroyed Burke County’s two largest child care centers, displacing about 250 children from their learning environments and impeding parents from working. But in the three weeks since, Burke County Public Schools has provided space for eight classrooms from...How Hyde County Schools is trying to break the 'vicious cycle' of child care and housing crises
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Child care programs affected by Hurricane Helene might be able reopen, even if they don’t have running water or can’t meet other requirements, to meet communities’ emergency needs. Licensed child care programs in Western North Carolina should contact a licensing...Legislature's Hurricane Helene package lacks child care funding
Editor’s Note: This article was updated to correct which organizations requested funding from the legislature. Despite requests from early childhood leaders, the legislature’s Hurricane Helene relief package announced Wednesday did not include funding for child care programs in the western...Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation allocates $125,000 to early childhood centers in Watauga
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A few years ago, once everything began to settle from the pandemic and classrooms were beginning to navigate their new normal, our reading specialist team began to notice distinct gaps in how our students were responding to our literacy instruction....Chirp! Chirp! Opportunities to share your voice
As Liz said in the last edition of Early Bird, we are committed to lifting up the experiences and needs of the early childhood community in the short- and long-term. Please reply to this email with your experiences or contact information for those impacted.
The big picture for little kids
Legislative Updates
As Liz wrote recently, the legislature’s Hurricane Helene relief package did not include funding for Western North Carolina child care programs — despite funding requests from DHHS and the NC Licensed Child Care Association.
In a press release, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, said, “The General Assembly is fully activated in its efforts to provide relief to Western North Carolina. This package is just the first round, and more funding will be on the way as we categorize and evaluate the extent of the damage. In the coming months, we will do everything we can to rebuild the region and provide relief to those who so desperately need it.”
Both the legislature’s relief package and an executive order from Gov. Cooper give some temporary regulatory flexibility to agencies associated with child care, which you can read more about here.
News & Research
- Businesses Scramble to Address Child Care Crisis - From The Assembly
- Pandemic Relief Funding Teaches Lessons about Need for Sustained Child Care Investments - From National Women's Law Center
- Universal Pre-K Among the Most Effective Labor Market Policies, Study Finds - From The 74 Million
- Learning, Joy, and Equity: A New Framework for Elementary Education - From New America
- Why does child care feel so expensive now? - From NC Health News
- Ways to Turn Your Home into a Nurturing Literacy Environment - From PBS North Carolina
Taking flight! Opportunities to spread your wings
From the organization: EDRF is funding [nonprofit] organizations providing emergency relief to those affected by Hurricane Helene. Initially, $25,000 grants will be awarded on a rolling basis.
Grant requests should be for frontline human service needs. They are intended to cover the extraordinary costs of providing emergency relief services to individuals or eligible organizations affected by the storm. EDRF grants are not for ongoing operational or staff costs or costs that are or will be covered by other sources. Eligibility for emergency public funding (local, state or federal) will be addressed in the application.
Note from EdNC: Nonprofit child care providers may be eligible, in addition to local Smart Start partnerships.
Listening Circles for WNC Residents Affected by Hurricane Helene
Monday-Friday through November 22 | 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. EST
From the organizer: Big events can hit us hard and affect us in many ways. Listening Circles help us name what is most difficult about them and practice tools that can help with the stress, right now.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or upset; if you saw or responded to something hard; or if you are looking to connect with others in the community, join us online as we lean on one another and highlight what is getting us through this difficult time.
Reconnecting Through Hard Times
Tuesdays 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST through November 19 or
Thursdays 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST through November 21
From the organizer: In the wake of disasters, we see the best of humanity – neighbors helping neighbors and volunteers from far and wide showing up to lend a hand. As physical spaces are rebuilt, the deeper task of healing hearts and minds begins—a process where words, actions, and even our own responses may feel uncertain. Reconnecting Through Hard Times is a 1-hour training designed to bring clarity to this journey. Together, we’ll explore how crises affect our brains and bodies and practice simple, effective tools to support yourself and others. This training is ideal for community leaders, volunteers, first responders, and anyone committed to making a positive difference in their community after hard times.
Date & Time: October 24, 2024 at 5:00 PM
From the organizer: Save the Children partners with community organizations to identify needs, provide training, and build capacity in areas impacted by disaster. Goal: Bring together key stakeholders throughout Western North Carolina to discuss the needs and available resources for Hurricane Helene Recovery.
Zoom Meeting ID: 968 4656 0409
Passcode: 898124
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