The Bridgeport Alliance for Young Children (BAYC) is a collaborative of parents and providers from across the city. BAYC's Mission, to work with families and the greater community to ensure access to quality early care, education and health services for all children birth to age eight, is embraced by more than 150 active volunteers.

Over the past 12 months, BAYC has been involved in a highly collaborative planning process to revive and refine the 2006 Blueprint for Young Children into a 3-5 year plan that is both achievable and measurable. The new Community Plan for Early Childhood will continue the significant progress that has already been made in health and development, education, and parent involvement.

In 2008-2009, BAYC sponsored two new initiatives with the financial support of the United Way of Coastal Fairfield County: 

•  Kick Off to Kindergarten, is a focused six week program for children who are entering school with no formal preschool experience.  By taking pre and post course assessments on indicators of school readiness such as personal and social skills and language and literacy skills, we were able to see growth in just six weeks of focused preschool activities.
•  The second initiative was developed when parents told us that they wanted better communication between schools and home, more opportunities to learn parenting skills, and a vehicle that would allow parents to help other parents. The result took form in Community Messengers, a project that cross-trains volunteers, arms them with a “toolbox” of materials and asks them to spread the word about programs and services available to their neighbors. 

BAYC renewed their committment to parent education with:

• Lee y seras, a family empowerment program for Hispanic parents continued in 2009 under the generosity of ABCD, Inc. The BAYC volunteer facilitator led 18 parents through the Scholastic program that reinforces parents as their child’s first and most important teacher. 

For more information please visit: www.baycbridgeport.org.