UC First Steps

Such exciting news for our families!!!

✨📚 We’ve been keeping a little secret… and we can’t think of a more perfect day to share it.

Today, September 25 — 9/25! — is Give Like Dolly Day, a day inspired by the incomparable Dolly Parton, her famous “9 to 5,” and her extraordinary legacy of giving.

And here in Union County, we have something VERY exciting to celebrate:
💗 Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is coming back! 💗

That’s right! After several years without the program in our community, we are working to bring the Imagination Library back to Union County, in partnership with our Friends of the Library.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library helps children build their very own home libraries by mailing free, age-appropriate books directly to them every month from birth to age five. 📬📖

We’re still putting all the pieces into place, so registration isn’t open just yet — consider this your little sneak peek. 👀

We’ll be sharing much more soon about the program, how families can enroll, and how our community can help us keep Dolly’s incredible legacy of literacy going right here in Union County.

For now, we just couldn’t resist sharing the news on 9/25. 💕

🍎🍏Teaching Tuesday🍎🍏
Finding books about topics that interest children is an important step in getting them excited about reading books! Allow them to pick out which book for you to read, even if it is one that you have read over and over! Maybe a quick trip to the library to get books on upcoming holidays or other interest they have will make it more fun for them!

Information about our upcoming field trip for our Parents As Teachers program.

Union County families, we’ve created a Google form for the request of a car or booster seat. Please complete the interest form using the attached link. Thank you all for the support!!

Car and Booster Seat Form In need of a car or booster seat? Union County First Steps can help! We provide car and booster seats at no cost to families in financial need who do not have a car or booster seat. Complete the following form and we'll reach back out to you if you qualify. All car and booster seats are sponsored by...

✨Car and booster seats are sponsored by the Department of Public Health✨
If you’re interested, please click the link and complete the attached form. https://forms.gle/gpwpzLV5kXFLRp7b7

📣 UNION COUNTY FAMILIES — ONLY 4 SPOTS LEFT! 📣
Do you have a 3- or 4-year-old child? 🧒🏽👧🏽
✨ Union County First Steps is recruiting FOUR MORE FAMILIES for HIPPY! ✨
📚 HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) is a FREE early childhood program that gives parents and caregivers fun, simple activities to do with their child while building important skills for school readiness. 💙
🏠 Weekly support from a Parent Educator
📖 Fun learning activities for you and your child
⏰ Activities designed for about 15 minutes a day
🤝 Family group meetings
🎁 Families may also receive an incentive for participating!
🌟 Give your 3- or 4-year-old a strong start and make learning at home FUN!
🚨 ONLY 4 SPOTS REMAIN! 🚨
📞Call Union County First Steps to learn more or find out how to enroll. (864-426-2519)
Know a family with a 3- or 4-year-old? SHARE this post! ❤️

🍎🍏Teaching Tuesday 🍏🍎
As we always say, reading books to your child is very important to their development. When reading a book, make it come to life! Use different voices, act out parts of the book or extend the book to other activities.
Some examples:
*When reading a book, use different voices for an adult and a child
*If a book has animals in it, allow your child to “hop like the frog in the book”.
*When reading books, extend the activity. Bake cookies when you read If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.

🍎🍏Teaching Tuesday🍏🍎
Setting goals as an individual or as a family can motivate us to accomplish what we set out to do. It can also give us a sense of accomplishment when we measure how far we have come in reaching that goal. Think of a goal that you can set for you or your children….maybe reading 5 minutes each day?….limiting screen time?…doing some type of physical activity each day?…Start small and see what big things can happen for you and your child.

🎉 COMMUNITY BABY SHOWER RAFFLE WINNERS! 🎉
A huge congratulations to our Community Baby Shower raffle winners! 🍼💙💗
We are excited to announce the participants who were selected during our raffle drawing! 🎁✨ Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make our Community Baby Shower such a wonderful success.
📸 Check out the photo below to see our raffle winners!
Winners will be contacted by phone by Union County First Steps to make arrangements for prize pickup. Please keep an eye out for our call!
A special thank you to all of our generous donors and community partners who contributed baby essentials and raffle prizes. Your support helps us continue connecting families with resources they need to help their children be safe, healthy, and ready for school. ❤️
Congratulations again to all of our winners! 🎊🍼