La Piñata plans to strengthen its work in GES through the following programs offered to approximately 40 families with young children who live in the area. Programs are culturally and linguistically welcoming for Latinx families whose first language is Spanish and who live with incomes at or below 260% of the federal poverty level. Participants describe feeling a part of a community of support that they have not found in the past.


School Readiness: Parents and caregivers of young children participate alongside their child once a week for 40 weeks in a learning environment that is strategically designed to foster the development of each child who participates. Enrich Kits containing age-appropriate books and didactic materials are sent home monthly so that parents and caregivers have access to the needed materials to continue to work with their child at home. Parents are trained to better understand and assess their children’s development using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) which is conducted three times/a year. Through a web-based Platform designed for the organization and its participants, parents and caregivers become familiar with utilizing technology to access additional resources and introduce activities at home based on the milestones reached and tracked via the platform. Introducing families to an online platform before they enter the school system builds their comfort with using technology and promotes continued involvement in their child’s education once they enter pre-school and until they graduate from high school.

Family Care Program- La Piñata’s team collaborate to foster trusting relationships with and among families; they assess immediate needs, link them with resources, and respond to families in crisis. The approach is to genuinely engage families, meeting them where they are at in their parenting practice and connecting them with resources available to address individual barriers and those unique to each community served.

Capacity Building for Informal Caregivers- Many parents and caregivers who have enrolled in La Piñata’s programs over the last five years have expressed interest in furthering their knowledge of Early Childhood Development. Currently, the only training opportunity offered in Spanish for caregivers of young children training is the Providers Advancing School Outcomes (PASO) training, designed as an intermediate step for caregivers seeking a CDA from the State. Although PASO is a strong training program, it is not accessible to many caregivers, who find that there are too many barriers for them to complete this academically rigorous, online, 15-week program.

In 2023 La Piñata piloted its first Caregivers Training 101, the course consists of 10 sessions designed for Family, Friends, or Neighbors (FFN) caregivers who wish to gain a deeper understanding of theoretical and practical concepts of Early Childhood Development. Following the completion of the course additional educational opportunities are provided throughout the year based on the expressed interest of the caregivers themselves. One such opportunity is a CPR and First Aide certification class offered in Spanish and free of charge to participants.