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Philly preschoolers learn with tablets while schools remain closed

Philly preschoolers learn with tablets while schools remain closed

March 30, 2020

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) —  Hundreds of tablets are now in the hands of Philadelphia students — specifically, toddlers.

Since the state closed schools to prevent the spread of coronavirus, staffers from the Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha (APM) dropped off tablets — keeping a social distance, of course — to the homes of more than 600 3- to 5-year-olds, who would normally be at one of the nonprofit’s four preschool centers between West Kensington and Hunting Park.

Related:

The children will now not only be able to connect with their teachers live, but explore on their own.

“Each of the tablets has educational apps on it,” said Dr. Donald Price, APM vice president for education, training and supportive housing. “They’ll come preloaded with those apps, and they will receive a lesson plan and activities so that they can go through the activities with their families.”

Price said it’s critical for young children to continue to learn in their early years, when their brains are absorbing so much information.

TruMark Financial Credit Union helped fund the tablets, and T-Mobile is providing students with free internet for six months.

On Monday afternoon, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf expanded his stay-at-home order through at least April 30, and he announced all schools will remain closed until further notice.

Price added the tablets are the childrens’ to keep.

 

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APM Addressing the Digital Divide/Tablet Delivery 3-30-2020

APM Addressing the Digital Divide/Tablet Delivery 3-30-2020

March 30, 2020

APM Tablet Delivery

At Asociacion Puertorriquenos en Marcha, we are committed to our mission to help families achieve their greatest potential.  Today, our leadership and educators from the Early Childhood Education service area delivered nearly 700 tablets to the students that we serve.  The action taken today was truly empowering and the definition of selflessness.  Our commitment to those that we serve prioritizes service over self.  Thank you to TruMark Financial Credit Union for the resources to purchase the tablets and T-Mobile for providing 6 months of free internet service.

Trumark Financial

 

 

Addressing the Coronavirus

Addressing the Coronavirus

March 13, 2020

Dear APM community:

We are writing to provide information and updates about the Coronavirus (COVID-19). With three cases in Philadelphia as of Friday, March 13, APM recognizes its responsibility to connect those we serve to vital information and resources. We also want to let you know what we are doing to be prepared if the virus affects our APM community and have communicated these measures to all who use our early learning centers, behavioral health facilities, CUAs, and residences.

We take the health and safety of our APM family and staff very seriously and are moving forward with the appropriate precautions now in case we need to act immediately. Presently, APM does not have any suspected or confirmed cases in any of our facilities or with any of our staff members. If a staff member has a cold or is not feeling well, we have instructed them to stay home as a precautionary measure.

We are extremely diligent in our cleaning procedures, and we are adding more cleaning products to help safeguard our centers.

We encourage you to follow the same procedures we are using that are provided by The Philadelphia Department of Public Health. They suggest the following measures be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

  • Encourage increased handwashing for at least 20 seconds.
  • Cover coughs and sneezes and wash hands immediately afterward.
  • Remain at home when feeling ill.
  • Avoid touching your mouth, nose, eyes, or face.
  • Frequently clean surfaces that are considered to be high-touch in shared spaces such as door handles.
  • Make handwashing and alcohol-based hand-sanitizers easily available.

Additional information from the City of Philadelphia about the virus can be found by visiting: https://www.phila.gov/services/mental-physical-health/environmental-health-hazards/covid-19/

We appreciate your understanding as we put the health and safety of our entire APM family first. We see the unpredictability of this situation and the concern that accompanies that. We will monitor information from the City and the CDC in order to better address this moving forward and will provide updates accordingly.

We encourage everyone in our community to listen to facts and not respond to fear.

Take good care,

Nilda Ruiz

President and CEO

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Querida comunidad de APM,

Les escribimos hoy para proveer información y actualizaciones sobre el coronavirus (COVID-19). Con tres (3) casos en Filadelfia al viernes 13 de marzo de 2020, APM reconoce su responsabilidad de proveer información y recursos. Asimismo, le queremos informar como nos estamos preparando en caso de que este virus afecte la comunidad de APM y hemos comunicado estas medidas a todas las personas que usan nuestros centros de aprendizaje, facilidades de salud mental, CUAs y residencias.

Nosotros tomamos la salud y seguridad de nuestros estudiantes y empleados muy seriamente, y estamos tomando ahora las precauciones adecuadas en caso de que tengamos que luego actuar inmediatamente. APM no tiene actualmente ningún caso sospechoso o confirmado de COVID-19 en ninguno de nuestros centros educativos o nuestro personal. Como medida preventiva, hemos instruido a todos nuestros empleados a que se mantengan en su casa si tienen un resfriado o no se sienten bien.

Estamos siendo extremadamente diligentes y rigurosos en nuestros procedimientos de limpieza, y estamos adquiriendo más productos de limpieza para proteger nuestros centros.

Exhortamos que sigan los mismos procedimientos que estamos usando, los cuales han sido dados por el Departamento de Salud Publica de Filadelfia. Ellos sugieren que se tomen las siguientes medidas para prevenir el contagio del COVID-19:

  • Animar a que las personas se laven las manos por al menos 20 segundos.
  • Cúbrase la boca cada vez que se tosa o estornude y lávese las manos inmediatamente.
  • Manténgase en su casa si se siente mal.
  • Evite tocarse la boca, nariz, ojos o rostro.
  • Limpie frecuentemente superficies limpias que pueden ser tocadas por muchas personas en espacios compartidos; por ejemplo, cerraduras y manijas de las puertas.
  • Mantenga jabones y limpiadores de mano disponibles para uso rápido.

Se puede obtener información adicional sobre el virus visitando la siguiente página de la ciudad Filadelfia: https://www.phila.gov/services/mental-physical-health/environmental-health-hazards/covid-19/ .

Apreciamos su comprensión mientras ponemos en primer lugar la salud y seguridad de nuestra familia de APM. Entendemos la imprevisibilidad de esta situación y las preocupaciones que esto trae. Estaremos monitoreando información de la Ciudad y el CDC para así poder responder a esta situación y proveerle datos actualizados de la mejor forma posible.

Exhortamos a todos en nuestra comunidad a escuchar los hechos y no responder a miedos.

Cuídense,

Nilda Ruiz

Presidente y CEO

APM Partners with BuildaBridge

APM Partners with BuildaBridge

February 29, 2020

Partnership Empowers At-Risk Youth

READY FOR LIFE is a “Life Empowerment” training that consist of 8 different ways to reach out and positively activate our youth population.  The program empower at-risk youth by training them with the life skills needed to accomplish their career goals.  Today, we see an enormous increase of youth dropping out and rising gang activity in our schools and community along with the violence that comes with it.  Our children are in danger of losing their futures and their very lives to the streets if we don’t address these issues directly.  There are enough funerals to prove it.  Build a Bridge will offer aspects of this curriculum via the arts.

 

Telemundo 62 Interview on Latino Homelessness

Telemundo 62 Interview on Latino Homelessness

February 28, 2020

Telemundo 62/Enfoque Interview on Latino Homelessness

Dinorah Diaz, Manager of Supportive Service Programs was interviewed by Syrmarie Villalobos on Enfoque on February 12, 2020

Background for Behavioral Health Speaker Series 2-13-2020

Background for Behavioral Health Speaker Series 2-13-2020

February 20, 2020

Behavioral Health Speaker Panel

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Focus Area: Cultural Competency and Economics in the Provision of Care

Featured Speaker:

Mackenzie Phillips, Actress, Author, &  Survivor of Substance Abuse

Additional Confirmed Panelists:

Michael Cram, Staff Inspector for the Philadelphia Police Department

Derrick Pelletier, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

Maria Quinones-Sanchez, Councilwoman for the 7th District

Robert Torres, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Aging

Hector Colon-Rivera, MD,CMRO, Medical Director, APM (Moderator)

We are a nation in crisis. Drug overdoses claimed 72,000 lives in 2017. Suicide rates continue to climb. Life expectancy is on target to drop for a third straight year. We must look past the numbers and understand this crisis is about people, our people. Access to medical treatment. Opportunities for mental health services. Offering community stakeholders engagement and ownership in their health-related care. What is the financial key to meet these necessary and basic community needs?  APM’s goal is to make that personal connection between families and services; provide isolated elderly with community, aid single-parent households, all with the goal to stabilize families. Our approach is to communicate, educate, and empower.  This in-depth discussion brings together professionals from health care and academia to public policy and community stakeholders to explore these issues and consider solutions.

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