1. family and parenting

PARENT-CHILD HOME PROGRAM
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Fall 2013
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A PROVEN BEGINNING FOR SCHOOL SUCCESS SINCE 1965
Volume 14, Issue 1
Honoring the 2013 Parent Literacy Champion
—Alrick Robinson
Alrick Robinson, a parent graduate from
the SCO Family of Services’ Parent-Child
Home Program in Brooklyn, NY, was
selected from among many wonderful
nominees to receive the Parent Literacy
Champion Award presented at PCHP’s
Literacy Champions Gala on November
19, 2013. Alrick’s home visitor, Merl
Chavis, introduced her to the over 250
guests and she then delivered these
inspiring remarks:
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Honoring the 2013 Parent Literacy
Champion – Alrick Robinson
2
PCHP at the NY Mets
3
PCHP in the Media
4
The Building Blocks of Block Play
5
Fourth Annual
Literacy Champions Gala
6
Young Professionals Committee
It gives me great pride to be honored
tonight as the Parent Literacy Champion
for 2013. Never did I imagine that signing
up for the Parent-Child Home Program
would have brought me here.
I was born on the small island of Jamaica
and like many other immigrants I came to
the United States to pursue my dreams.
Two years after my arrival, I gave birth to
my beautiful daughter Serenidy. Little did
I know then, how challenging it would be
to raise a child in the Big Apple with my
supporting family several hundred miles
5
(left to right) Sarah Walzer, Merl Chavis,
Alrick Robinson, and Eric Hess (President,
PCHP Board of Directors) pose for a photo
before Merl and Alrick’s speeches.
2013 Parent Literacy Champion Alrick Robinson
away, but with God as my guide I met my
substitute family at SCO’s Parent-Child
Home Program.
The Parent-Child Home Program was the
best choice I could have made for myself
and my child. The program gave me the
support and confidence I lacked as a first
time parent. It taught me the importance
of early literacy and showed me how
giving my child my undivided attention
thirty minutes twice a week could make a
difference in her cognitive development.
As a result my daughter was well prepared when she started the Head Start
program. She could count one through
ten, she knew the letters of the alphabet,
she knew all the basic colors and most of
the nursery rhymes and songs. And most
significantly she was more advanced than
the other children in her class because
what they had just started learning she
had already learned at home through the
Parent-Child Home Program.
(continued on page 3)
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Eric W. Hess, President
Hess Legal Counsel | Westfield, NJ
Sonia W. Hamstra, First Vice President
AIG Asset Management | New York, NY
Doris Kertzner, Second Vice President
Former Coordinator Great Neck/Manhasset
Parent-Child Home Program | Hempstead, NY
Howard Landsberg, Treasurer
WeiserMazars LLP | New York, NY
Jane C. Spencer, Secretary
New York, NY
Barry A. Berman, Member-at-large
NexPet/Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals
New York, NY
Tai Chang Terry, J.D., Member-at-large
Time Warner Inc. | New York, NY
Directors
Charles L. Butts
Former Ohio State Senator | Cleveland, OH
Brenda DiLeo
Deloitte & Touche LLP | New York, NY
Melissa Skoog Dunagan
Skoog Productions, LLC | Chicago, IL
Lisa Filomia-Aktas
Ernst & Young LLP | New York, NY
David Franasiak
Williams & Jensen, PLLC | Washington, D.C.
Hillary A. Frommer, J.D.
Farrell Fritz, P.C. | New York, NY
Julian A. Gomez, J.D.
Sojitz Corporation of America | New York, NY
Blake R. Hallinan
Bank of America Merrill Lynch | New York, NY
Melanie Holland
MelHolland Inc. | New York, NY
Joan F. Kuchner, Ph.D
Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, NY
Bob Lavoie
L.E.K. Consulting | New York, NY
James M. Molloy
H2C | New York, NY
Marlene M. Motyka
Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP
New York, NY
Bhavana Smith
Accenture Interactive | New York, NY
William F. Wallace
J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC. | New York, NY
Kristian M. Whalen
Platte River Equity | Denver, CO
National Center Staff
Sarah E. Walzer, J.D. | Chief Executive Officer
Michele Morrison, M.Ed. | Training and Program
Support Director
Katie Zapata, M.S., M.A. | Development and
Communications Director
Cesar Zuniga, M.S. | Research and Evaluation
Director
Mary Durel, M.Ed. | National Expansion Director
Amy H. Gilmore | Program Support and Site
Certification Manager
Jennifer Rosenthal | Development and
Communications Associate
Marijane Castillo, M.A. | Research Associate
Dina Shahverdi | Office Manager
Eden Hill | Research Associate
Jenna Ballard | Communications and Events Intern
Natalie Sorge | Communications and Events Intern
Letter from the CEO
The Parent-Child Home Program has
had much to celebrate in 2013. We are
thankful for all the generosity and support
that PCHP has received throughout the
year as we strive to prepare more children
to enter school ready to succeed and to
provide more parents with the knowledge,
skills, and resources to be their children’s
first and most important teachers.
PCHP was fortunate to participate in two
unique media opportunities this fall. The
Giving Library, a project of the Laura and
John Arnold Foundation, produced a
wonderful video about PCHP. Additionally,
PCHP was featured on PBS’s American
Graduate Day, a national public media
initiative to help communities address the
high school dropout crisis (page 3). Alrick
Robinson, a young mother who recently
completed the PCHP with her daughter,
Serenidy, was featured on the program.
Her story was so inspiring that we selected
her as our 2nd Annual Parent Literacy
Champion and honored her at our Annual
Literacy Champions Gala in November
(page 1). We also honored Amor Towles,
bestselling author of Rules of Civility
published by Viking/Penguin in 2011, at
the Gala. His commitment to literacy, the
written word, and reading made him the
ideal PCHP Literacy Champion (page 5).
PCHP was pleased to welcome seven
new sites this year: two in Tampa; a site
serving over 150 families in Riverside
County, CA; a site in Jefferson County,
CO that received PCHP’s first seed fund
grant; and sites in GA, Albany, NY, and
PCHP at the NY Mets
Regional Coordinators
The New York Mets donated 300 tickets
to the Parent-Child Home Program to
bring families from PCHP sites in Queens
and Brooklyn, NY to the Mets vs. Brewers
game on Friday, September 27th. The
families had a great time, including lots
of cheering when they were featured on
the jumbotron at Citi Field, and enjoying
the bilingual Toy Story sticker books that
every child received.
Andre Eaton, MSW | New York
Beth Fagan | Ireland
Carol Rubin, MSW, LICSW | Massachusetts
Pamela Williams | Washington
PCHP families cheer as they’re featured on
Citi Field’s jumbotron.
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the Bronx. We are delighted that PCHP
sites in MN, Pittsburgh, western MA, NYC,
LI, Ireland, and King County, WA, where
PCHP is reaching over 1,000 families this
year, have all expanded so successfully
this year.
As we approach the end of yet another
year of good fortune, we look back knowing that PCHP successfully worked with
more than 7,000 families this year, but also
knowing that there are many more families
that we have yet to reach. PCHP’s expansion is both a sign of the growing number
of young low-income families in need of
support, and an indicator of the growing
awareness that intensive home visiting is
a powerful and cost effective way to close
the achievement gap.
Most importantly, as this year comes to a
close, I would like to thank all the PCHP
parents, like Alrick Robinson, who, in the
midst of many challenges, welcome the
Program into their homes, embrace their
new-found roles as their children’s most
important teachers, and set new goals for
their own and their children’s educational
and life success. They are doing the most
difficult work and PCHP is committed to
continuing to support them.
Thank you so much for your support!
Sarah E. Walzer, CEO
Honoring the 2013 Parent Literacy Champion
The Parent-Child Home Program also
provided me with educational books
and toys which I could not afford on my
own, a “Cool Culture” card that allows
my daughter and me to visit museums,
zoos, and botanical gardens free of cost
across NYC, and a social group through
the Baby and Me program.
So I stand here tonight as a proud parent
saying thank you to the Parent-Child Home
Program for giving me an experience that
was rewarding and inspiring. Thank you
to my home visitor Merl Chavis for being
a kind and understanding person and for
her constant encouragement. You have
made me a confident parent. Thanks to
Quincy Adams, my PCHP site coordinator,
for being such an outgoing person. Thanks
to all the other employees, directors,
supervisors, and home visitors for making
it possible for the Program to reach
families like mine. And most importantly,
thanks to the sponsors for their kind
donations, my family, and other families
who have successfully finished the
Program. They are living proof that your
investments are worthwhile. Thank you.
Alrick received a standing ovation from
the PCHP supporters and their friends
and colleagues for her powerful telling
of her own story and her commitment
to building a bright future for her young
daughter. Alrick is currently a home
(continued from page 1)
health aide, and is applying to nursing
school. She is planning to use her Parent
Literacy Scholarship to help advance her
career and provide a better life for herself
and her daughter.
Alrick’s daughter Serenidy and a friend.
PCHP in the Media
PCHP is honored to have been selected to participate in two
noteworthy media initiatives this fall: PBS’s American Graduate
Day and The Giving Library.
PBS’s American Graduate Day is a national public media
initiative to help communities address the high school dropout
crisis. During a live broadcast on September 28th, Wes Moore,
the author of The Other Wes Moore, moderated a wonderful
conversation with three PCHP representatives: Julian Gomez,
J.D., current member of the PCHP Board of Directors and a
Program graduate; Merl Chavis, a PCHP home visitor who has
been with the Program for eight years; and Alrick Robinson, the
2013 Parent Literacy Champion who recently completed the
Program with her daughter, Serenidy. We are so proud of Julian,
Merl, Alrick, and Serenidy for their successful TV debut, and
grateful to Wes Moore for facilitating such an informative
conversation. The video and information about PCHP are
posted on PBS’s American Graduate Day website:
www.americangraduate.org/grad-day-champions/904, or on
the PCHP website’s homepage (www.parent-child.org).
The Giving Library, a project of the Laura and John Arnold
Foundation, was established to help philanthropists give wisely.
PCHP is proud to have been selected as one of the charities
featured on the website, and is grateful to all at the Foundation
who helped to produce such a wonderful video. Please visit
our website’s homepage (www.parent-child.org) to watch The
Giving Library video featuring CEO Sarah Walzer discussing the
importance and effectiveness of PCHP for low-income families
across the country.
(left to right) Merl Chavis, Quincy Adams (Site Coordinator), Serenidy,
Alrick Robinson, Sarah Walzer, and Julian Gomez pose for a photo after
the American Graduate Day live taping.
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Parent-Child Home Program Activities
The Building Blocks of Block Play
With the cold weather approaching
in many parts of the country, it’s
important to have activities on hand
that are educational, engaging, and
appropriate for indoor play. Although
children have enjoyed playing with
blocks for decades, experts have
recently highlighted both the early
literacy and numeracy skills that
block play can help to build:
Math/Problem Solving Skills:
Children develop math skills during
block play because they are learning
about shapes, numbers, weight,
counting, patterns, tallest/shortest,
and similarities and differences. They
also practice balancing and stacking.
Social-Emotional Skills: Playing
with blocks requires children to
practice self-regulation skills and
develop the ability to tolerate new
emotions like frustration, pride,
excitement, etc. Children also
practice sharing and appropriate
behaviors for interacting with others.
Fine Motor Skills: Children practice
hand-eye coordination and regulate
the use of their hands when building
block towers, a precursor to writing
and keyboarding skills.
Creative Thinking Skills:
Block play encourages imagination,
self-expression and creativity.
Children are able to build whatever
they want by experimenting with
the order, color, and shapes of the
blocks. As they develop their own
narratives around the block play,
children are practicing story telling,
a key element of early literacy. Traditional wood blocks are great
for both preschoolers and schoolage children, but all sorts of other
types of blocks enhance the fun,
from foam blocks to bristle blocks. Here are some ideas for making
homemade blocks: Pool Noodle Blocks:
Supplies: You’ll need a pool noodle
and a scissor.
Directions: Simply cut the pool
noodle into different sized circles,
and give the cut noodle pieces to
your little one to stack and sort.
To encourage color recognition,
you can cut up different colored
pool noodles. These blocks are
even bath-friendly!
Upcycled Blocks:
Supplies: You’ll need various sizes
of square and rectangle-shaped
recycled food/home supply containers (egg carton, tissue box,
plastic baby food containers, etc.);
construction paper or newspaper;
clear packing tape; and scissors.
Directions: Simply wrap the boxes
as you would normally wrap a gift
(make sure to use clear packing
tape to secure the edges of the
paper to the box). Be creative when
finding boxes or containers to wrap
—the boxes can be large or small,
and don’t necessarily need to be
square or rectangular. You can use
a Pringles container to create a
cylindrical block or plastic baby food
containers to create several smaller
symmetrical building blocks.
The Parent-Child Home Program Recommends
The First Years
Stack N Count
Cups
Bright Starts
Grab and Stack
Blocks
Green Toys
My First Blocks
PlanToys
50 Construction Set
Melissa & Doug
Beginner
Pattern Blocks
To purchase these items and view other PCHP recommended books and educational toys, please
visit our Amazon.com storefront at http://astore.amazon.com/theparentchil-20. Purchases made
through this storefront or by clicking on the Amazon.com link on our website, www.parent-child.org,
will benefit The Parent-Child Home Program. Thank you for your support!
www.parent-child.org
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Fourth Annual Literacy Champions Gala
On Tuesday, November 19, 2013, more than 250 guests joined
the Parent-Child Home Program for the Fourth Annual Literacy
Champions Gala at the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan.
The evening began with a cocktail reception and silent auction,
featuring over 60 items, a diverse array of art, jewelry, sports
items, and, of course, books, generously donated by supporters.
the event, noting what a wonderful gathering of PCHP supporters
it was and how pleased they were to celebrate the continued
expansion of the Program. The Parent-Child Home Program
would like to extend a warm thanks to all guests and donors,
with a special thank you to this year’s Literacy Hero and lead
sponsor, Deutsche Bank. All of the funds raised at the Literacy
Champions Gala support PCHP’s expansion to reach more families in need across the country.
During the dinner, guests watched the premiere of PCHP’s
new Giving Library video (page 3), and listened to PCHP parent
graduate, Alrick Robinson, the 2013 Parent Literacy Champion,
deliver an inspiring speech that brought guests to their feet for
a standing ovation (page 1).
Later in the evening, Eric Hess, President of PCHP’s Board of
Directors, introduced PCHP’s 2013 Literacy Champion, New York
Times Bestselling Author of Rules of Civility, Amor Towles. Mr.
Towles’ commitment to the craft of writing, the joy of reading, and
the importance of ensuring access to great American writing is
evident in his own beautiful writing, his participation on the boards
of Library of America, the Yale Art Gallery and The Wallace
Foundation, and his Literacy Champions’ speech—truly making
him a champion of literacy.
Gala Co-Chairs Marlene Motyka and David Franasiak, who have
ably chaired the event for the past two years, opened and closed
Amor Towles, the 2013 PCHP Literacy Champion, discussing the
importance of fiction.
Thank You To Our Recent Supporters
Thank you to all those who have supported The Parent-Child Home Program’s national center. Your support enables the Program to
reach out to new families in new communities, as we strive to ensure that all children have the opportunity to enter school ready to learn.
Foundation and
Corporate Sponsors
The Rona Jaffe Foundation
Viking Global Foundation
The Rauch Foundation
Horace Hagedorn Foundation
The Linden Foundation
W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone
Foundation
Edith Glick Shoolman Foundation
Stella and Charles Guttman
Foundation
Community Foundation of Western
Massachusetts
The Marks Family Foundation
Rubinstein Foundation
Gallagher Family Foundation
The Peters Memorial Fund
Old Westbury SJJCC
United Way of Long Island
United Way of New York City
Capital Area United Way, Inc.
Combined Federal Campaign
Corporate Matching Gifts
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Jackson NLIC
Literacy Champions 2013 Gala
Literacy Hero
Deutsche Bank
Platinum Sponsors
Mary Pat and David Franasiak
Morgan Stanley
Gold Sponsors
Citibank
Credit Suisse
J.P. Morgan
Kim and Greg Lippmann
Penguin Group (USA)
Suzanne and Bill Wallace
Laura and Kris Whalen
Silver Sponsors
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Lisa Filomia-Aktas
Ivy Bell and Barry Berman/Juliet
Gal/The Gal Foundation
Melissa Skoog Dunagan
Farrell Fritz, P.C.
Clare and Blake Hallinan
Sonia, John and Lee Hamstra
Sue and Eric Hess
Brian Marshall
Lauren and James Molloy
Marlene Motyka and
Jonathan Lawrence
Jane and David Spencer
Tai Chang Terry and
F. Davis Terry, Jr.
Emily and Daniel Weingeist
Bronze Sponsors
Atlas Capital Group, LLC
Catha Day-Carlson and
David Carlson
Julian A. Gomez
Melanie and David Holland
Anna Lynn and
Stephen Oppenheimer
Caroline and Marc Packer
Leonida Pepe and
Stanley Butterfass
Judith and Michael Walzer
WeiserMazars, LLP
Friends
Gregory Aaliff
Brent Abrahm
James Balaschak
Tracey Bassett and Josh Tanz
Bonnie Bertram
Mark Blumkin
Charlie Butts
Adam Cady
Brandy and Paul Carlson
Miki Carlton
Rodger Cerritelli
Kyle Czepiel
Brenda Di Leo
June Diamant
Mary Foster
Hillary Frommer
Cheryl Fyock
Julia Gamburg
Sandra Gattozzi
Robert Gender
Howard Gertler
Michael Gold
Bryan Harkins
John Jacquemin
Sarah Jankowski
Angie Karna
Doris Kertzner
Cheryl Gordon and
David Kestenbaum
Dan Kinsella
Barbara Krasne
Daniel Krittman
Joan Kuchner
Victoria and Douglas Larson
Christopher Lindsey
Ida Liu
Lester Marks
Ryan Mash
Mary Mavis
John McCue
Patty and Paul McGoldrick
Mary Crawford and Calvin Mew
5
Dominica Nagel
Kathleen Neiber
George Olson
Aaron Peyton
Vivian and Corey Rosenthal
Suzanna Sanborn
Tom Savage
Orlando Setola
Jill Slattery
Martha Solinger
Frank Stadelmaier
Sandy Szakach
Cheryl Tague
Sarah Walzer and John Barrett
Katie and Dave Zapata
Teresa and Keith Zielenski
Our Recent Individual Donors
Riddhi Acharya
Tracey Bassett and Josh Tanz
Barry Berman and Ivy Bell
Nora and James Burger
Monideepa Chakravorty
Ellen and Douglas Cummings
Kelly and Ralph D’Ambrosio
Alyssa Della Vecchia
Brenda Di Leo
Peter Edelman
Cheryl Gordon
Lisa Hamlisch
Gregory King
Aaron Kleinman
Alexis and Anoy Kurita
Leslie and Roger Lifson
Nancy and Burton Malkiel
Daniel Mishkin
Robert Preatorius
Adam Rafsky
Bonnie and Glenn Reilly
Gina and Vincent Sama
Suzanne Santopolo
Donald Scarl
Alicia and George Schwertl
John Thanus
The Kegan Family
Ellen Valade
Suzanne and William Wallace
Susan Webb
Michelle Yousefian
In Memory of Phyllis Levenstein
—Alice Rosenthal
In Honor of Ed Agranoff
—Teri Greenstein
In Honor of Jerry Greenstein
—Teri Greenstein
In Memory of
Vivian and Frank Beckman
—Marta Russell and
Richard Balzarini
In Honor of Edie Wolter
—Jean Peters
In honor of Doris and
Stanley Kertzner 60th Wedding
Anniversary
—Doris Kertzner
In Memory of Naomi Feldheim
—Doris Kertzner
In Memory of
Dr. Arthur C. Corvatto
—Sarah Walzer and John Barrett
In Support of PCHP in
Massachusetts
—Laura Imperatore and
William Carrigan, Jr.
—Ann Ross
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit #352
Garden City, NY
1415 Kellum Place, Suite 101
Garden City, NY 11530-1690
516-883-7480
516-883-7481 (fax)
www.parent-child.org
e-mail: info@parent-child.org
The Parent-Child Home Program
is closing the achievement gap
by giving low-income parents the
tools and skills to prepare their
preschoolers to be successful students. Trained home visitors model
reading, play, conversation, and
positive parent-child interaction
using books and educational toys
that are gifts to the family. Research
proves that the Program increases
participants school readiness, improves school performance, and
increases high school graduation
rates by 30% – to the same level
as their middle class peers. Where to Find The Parent-Child Home Program
CALIFORNIA: Fresno; Riverside County COLORADO: Jefferson County FLORIDA: Miami
Beach; Monticello; Palm Beach County-ASPIRA; Palm Beach County-Boys Town; Palm Beach
County-Guatemalan-Maya Center; Palm Beach County-NOAH, Inc.; Tampa-Tampa Housing
Authority; Tampa-Metropolitan Ministries GEORIGIA: Thomasville MASSACHUSETTS:
Barre; Boston/Dorchester; Brookline; Cambridge; Central Berkshire; Clinton/Nashoba; Fall
River; Framingham; Greenfield; Lawrence; Leominster; Lowell; Lynn; Medford; New Bedford;
Newton/Needham/Wellesley; Northern Berkshires; Northampton; Pittsfield; Plymouth; Quincy;
Salem; Shirley; Somerville; Springfield; Stoughton; Taunton; Waltham; Ware; Wareham;
Watertown; Worcester MICHIGAN: Pontiac/Oakland County MINNESOTA: Hennipin/Cass
Counties NEW JERSEY: Central New Jersey United Way NEW YORK: Albany; BronxLeak & Watts; Bronx-MASA, Inc.; Brooklyn-Excellence Early Learning Academy; BrooklynUniversity Settlement; Brooklyn-Lutheran Family Health Centers; Brooklyn-SCO; BuffaloJericho Road Ministries; Buffalo-King Urban Life Center; Center Moriches; Centereach;
East Ramapo; Great Neck/Manhasset; Manhattan-The Educational Alliance; Nanuet;
Nassau BOCES; North Rockland; Oyster Bay; Port Washington; Queens-SCO; Roslyn;
Southhold; Westchester County; William Floyd School District PENNSYLVANIA: Armstrong
County; Easton/Northampton County; Juniata/Mifflin Counties; Indiana County; Lycoming/
Clinton/Union Counties; Milton/Northumberland County; Pittsburgh SOUTH CAROLINA:
Charleston County School District; Dorchester School District #2; Dorchester School District
#4; Florence School District #1; Florence School District #3; Florence School District #4;
Florence School District #5; Georgetown; Horry County Schools; Richland School District
#1; Williamsburg County Schools WASHINGTON: Burien-New Futures; Bellevue-Kindering
Center; North Bend-Encompass; Seattle-Chinese Information & Service Center; Seattle-El
Centro de la Raza; Seattle-Children’s Home Society of WA/North Seattle; Seattle-Children’s
Home Society of WA/South King Country; Seattle-YWCA of Seattle/Central Seattle; SeattleSouthwest Youth and Family Services; Seattle-Neighborhood House/New Holly Area;
Seattle-Neighborhood House/Rainier Area; Seattle-Atlantic Street/Rainier Beach Center;
Yakima-West Valley School District WISCONSIN: Eau Claire; Madison-Center for Families
BERMUDA: Hamilton CANADA: Brandon/Manitoba IRELAND: Dublin; Inchicore.
Young Professionals Committee
PCHP is proud to announce the formation of the PCHP
Young Professionals Committee (YPC). The YPC’s mission
is to raise awareness and increase support for PCHP through
volunteer opportunities, social media outreach, and networking events. Currently the committee has fifteen creative,
enthusiastic, and entrepreneurial young professionals who
are passionate about the Program and increasing its visibility.
On October 25, 2013, the Young Professional Committee
members hosted a Fall Family Harvest Festival for PCHP
families at Lutheran Family Health Centers’ PCHP site
in Sunset Park, NY. Fifty families started their 2013-2014
Program year with a day of fall-themed arts and crafts
projects and music with PCHP staff, YPC members,
friends, and supporters.
For more information about PCHP’s YPC, please contact
Jennifer Rosenthal at jrosenthal@parent-child.org