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Support Local Black-Owned Businesses

February 23, 2022

As we celebrate Black History Month, we want to share some resources that will help you support some of the Black-owned businesses right here in Washington State. The pandemic has affected all businesses. It’s important to show your direct support by shopping at their stores or simply showing that you care and value their purpose and presence in the community.  When we support Black-owned businesses, we are supporting black communities. Here are some helpful resources around the state: In Seattle, The Urban

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Yasmin

February 18, 2022

We have so many dedicated people working at Imagine and want to share some of their stories. Check out the Imagine Staff Spotlight of Yasmin! Meet Yasmin Yasmin is Imagine’s program assistant for the Child Care Stabilization Grant Technical Assistance Program, helping English, Somali, and Arabic-speaking child care providers apply for critical funding to stabilize their businesses. Yasmin first got involved in the immigrant community as a high schooler in Salt Lake City, by helping kids communicate – translating and figuring out

Read More

Creative Crafts for Valentine’s Day

February 11, 2022

For Valentine’s Day 2022, try out these silly, messy art ideas that will get kids thinking creatively! For Little Kids Encourage recycling and use up all your felt, fabric and foam scraps with Textured Heart Art. Who says Valentines have to have hearts? Try these adorable Prehistoric Splotch Creatures. Toddlers and preschoolers will love the feel of paint squishing between their fingers when they make a colorful Messy Heart Painting. For School-Age Children Future engineers will get creative when they build these

Read More

Imagine Staff Spotlight: Pauli Owen

July 16, 2021

GET TO KNOW PAULI OWEN Meet Pauli, one of Imagine’s Interim Substitute Pool Directors! Pauli is a rock star who has experience in almost every program at Imagine. As a child care provider herself, Pauli first became involved with Imagine as a licensed provider. She later shared her expertise as an Imagine U mentor, encouraging her interns to become licensed themselves. After almost two years of driving outreach and engagement for the Substitute Pool, Pauli and her colleague, Christopher DeRuvo, recently stepped

Read More

Celebrate Juneteenth

June 14, 2021

The Imagine Institute joins the national push to recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday The Imagine Institute is proud to announce the recognition of Juneteenth as an official paid holiday. Observed annually on June 19th, Imagine will close its offices on that day with employees receiving paid holiday time. When Juneteenth falls over a weekend, the office will close the Friday before or the Monday after.  The Imagine Institute is proud to join the ranks of states recognizing Juneteenth, including Washington, Massachusetts,

Read More

Pride Month with Kids!

June 11, 2021

Why do we celebrate Pride? Since the 1970s, Pride has been observed annually in the month of June. Beyond parades and parties, it is a meaningful time to celebrate the fantastic diversity of our families, friends, and people we care about, and a time to honor their fight for equality. No matter who you are or what your family looks like, know that you are loved and valued just for being you. Check out the following resources for helping celebrate Pride within

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Tracy Dawson

June 9, 2021

TRACY DAWSON This week, we are proud to feature Imagine Trainer and Imagine U Lead Mentor, Tracy Dawson. Tracy Dawson is an Imagine superstar! According to her colleagues, “she doesn’t realize how magical she is.” Owner of Tracy’s Tikes Day-Care & Preschool, she is a licensed family child care provider in Grays Harbor County who has served children since 2009. As an advocate for all early childhood educators, Tracy has coordinated meetings and events to bring providers together to discuss professional development

Read More

Imagine Staff Spotlight: Amelia Vassar

June 1, 2021

GET TO KNOW AMELIA VASSAR Meet Amelia, The Imagine Institute’s Director for Equity and Evaluation! Amelia has been with Imagine for over two years and was instrumental in creating the PREPARE for Care program, creating anti-racist and trauma-informed curriculum for early child care providers to implement into their care environment. Before joining the Imagine team, Amelia worked for SEIU 925, SEIU Local 6, adoption/foster care, domestic violence, and most recently at Lifelong performing case management for individuals living with HIV. Her passion

Read More

Family, Friend and Neighbor Care Givers

May 24, 2021

LEARN ABOUT FAMILY, FRIEND, AND NEIGHBOR (FFN) PROVIDERS Family, Friend, and Neighbor providers, or FFN providers, play an essential role in providing child care for families throughout the United States. As their name implies, these providers care for children who are family, friends, and neighbors within their communities. There are many reasons families choose family, friend and neighbor care. For instance, many parents like knowing their child is being cared for by a trusted adult with an established bond of love and

Read More

Celebrating Moms and Mother Figures In Our Lives

May 9, 2021

Mother’s Day is a special holiday that can also bring some complicated emotions to the surface. Sure, we were all brought into the world by a “mother,” but life has a way of working out differently for everyone. Unconventional family structures are becoming more standard than the traditional family unit seen in movies from the 1950s. Some providers have expressed struggles with presenting Mother’s Day activities that are inclusive of all children in their care- those without mothers, with two mothers, or

Read More

Support Local Black-Owned Businesses

February 23, 2022

As we celebrate Black History Month, we want to share some resources that will help you support some of the Black-owned businesses right here in Washington State. The pandemic has affected all businesses. It’s important to show your direct support by shopping at their stores or simply showing that you care and value their purpose and presence in the community.  When we support Black-owned businesses, we are supporting black communities. Here are some helpful resources around the state: In Seattle, The Urban

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Yasmin

February 18, 2022

We have so many dedicated people working at Imagine and want to share some of their stories. Check out the Imagine Staff Spotlight of Yasmin! Meet Yasmin Yasmin is Imagine’s program assistant for the Child Care Stabilization Grant Technical Assistance Program, helping English, Somali, and Arabic-speaking child care providers apply for critical funding to stabilize their businesses. Yasmin first got involved in the immigrant community as a high schooler in Salt Lake City, by helping kids communicate – translating and figuring out

Read More

Creative Crafts for Valentine’s Day

February 11, 2022

For Valentine’s Day 2022, try out these silly, messy art ideas that will get kids thinking creatively! For Little Kids Encourage recycling and use up all your felt, fabric and foam scraps with Textured Heart Art. Who says Valentines have to have hearts? Try these adorable Prehistoric Splotch Creatures. Toddlers and preschoolers will love the feel of paint squishing between their fingers when they make a colorful Messy Heart Painting. For School-Age Children Future engineers will get creative when they build these

Read More

Imagine Staff Spotlight: Pauli Owen

July 16, 2021

GET TO KNOW PAULI OWEN Meet Pauli, one of Imagine’s Interim Substitute Pool Directors! Pauli is a rock star who has experience in almost every program at Imagine. As a child care provider herself, Pauli first became involved with Imagine as a licensed provider. She later shared her expertise as an Imagine U mentor, encouraging her interns to become licensed themselves. After almost two years of driving outreach and engagement for the Substitute Pool, Pauli and her colleague, Christopher DeRuvo, recently stepped

Read More

Celebrate Juneteenth

June 14, 2021

The Imagine Institute joins the national push to recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday The Imagine Institute is proud to announce the recognition of Juneteenth as an official paid holiday. Observed annually on June 19th, Imagine will close its offices on that day with employees receiving paid holiday time. When Juneteenth falls over a weekend, the office will close the Friday before or the Monday after.  The Imagine Institute is proud to join the ranks of states recognizing Juneteenth, including Washington, Massachusetts,

Read More

Pride Month with Kids!

June 11, 2021

Why do we celebrate Pride? Since the 1970s, Pride has been observed annually in the month of June. Beyond parades and parties, it is a meaningful time to celebrate the fantastic diversity of our families, friends, and people we care about, and a time to honor their fight for equality. No matter who you are or what your family looks like, know that you are loved and valued just for being you. Check out the following resources for helping celebrate Pride within

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Tracy Dawson

June 9, 2021

TRACY DAWSON This week, we are proud to feature Imagine Trainer and Imagine U Lead Mentor, Tracy Dawson. Tracy Dawson is an Imagine superstar! According to her colleagues, “she doesn’t realize how magical she is.” Owner of Tracy’s Tikes Day-Care & Preschool, she is a licensed family child care provider in Grays Harbor County who has served children since 2009. As an advocate for all early childhood educators, Tracy has coordinated meetings and events to bring providers together to discuss professional development

Read More

Imagine Staff Spotlight: Amelia Vassar

June 1, 2021

GET TO KNOW AMELIA VASSAR Meet Amelia, The Imagine Institute’s Director for Equity and Evaluation! Amelia has been with Imagine for over two years and was instrumental in creating the PREPARE for Care program, creating anti-racist and trauma-informed curriculum for early child care providers to implement into their care environment. Before joining the Imagine team, Amelia worked for SEIU 925, SEIU Local 6, adoption/foster care, domestic violence, and most recently at Lifelong performing case management for individuals living with HIV. Her passion

Read More

Family, Friend and Neighbor Care Givers

May 24, 2021

LEARN ABOUT FAMILY, FRIEND, AND NEIGHBOR (FFN) PROVIDERS Family, Friend, and Neighbor providers, or FFN providers, play an essential role in providing child care for families throughout the United States. As their name implies, these providers care for children who are family, friends, and neighbors within their communities. There are many reasons families choose family, friend and neighbor care. For instance, many parents like knowing their child is being cared for by a trusted adult with an established bond of love and

Read More

Celebrating Moms and Mother Figures In Our Lives

May 9, 2021

Mother’s Day is a special holiday that can also bring some complicated emotions to the surface. Sure, we were all brought into the world by a “mother,” but life has a way of working out differently for everyone. Unconventional family structures are becoming more standard than the traditional family unit seen in movies from the 1950s. Some providers have expressed struggles with presenting Mother’s Day activities that are inclusive of all children in their care- those without mothers, with two mothers, or

Read More
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