Dear parents, grandparents and education activists,

More than 200 parents joined UFT members in Albany to lobby for education funding on March 9. To those of you who joined us: Thank you for your continued activism, leadership and support. Our efforts paid off when the governor and Albany lawmakers on April 1 finalized a new state budget that contained a $1.4 billion increase in state education funding, with $525 million going to New York City public schools.

Remember to sign up for UFT text messaging by texting the word "parent" to the number 30644 and answering the questions that follow. We'll alert you about school cancellations due to weather, political campaigns and breaking news. And we'll even send a text message that links to a copy of your newsletter you can easily read on your mobile phone.

Enjoy more events, resources and news below.

Sincerely,

Betty Zohar
UFT Parent-Community Liaison

Upcoming events

• Thursday, April 7: If you are currently a child care worker or interested in becoming one, come to a child care services information session about a free training program offered by New York Public Libraries to become a certified child care provider. The information session will run from 6 to 8 p.m. at New Lots Library, 665 New Lots Ave. in Brooklyn. See the flier »

• Saturday, April 9: The American Cancer Society will host a workshop about breast cancer for women of color from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 132 W. 32 St., 4th floor. Hear from medical professionals about screening, treatment and more. Preregistration is required. RSVP by calling 212-263-2266 or emailing cancerevents@nyumc.org. See the flier »

• Saturday, April 9: Come to the Brooklyn baby and family expo from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Industry City, 233 37 St. in Brooklyn. Tickets start at $15 and include snacks and beverages, family concerts, child care seminars and more. For more information, see the website »

• Friday, April 15: As part of Lincoln Center's Boro-Linc performing arts festival, there will be a free chamber music concert designed for children between the ages of 6 and 10. Refreshments will be served at 6 p.m., and the performance will start at 7 p.m. at the Center for Family Life at PS 503/506, 343 60 St. in Brooklyn. For information about this and other free Boro-Linc events, see the website »

• Tuesday, April 19: Parents of children between the ages of 24 months and four years are invited to bring their children to a read aloud of Goodnight Moon, free book giveaway and library card signup from 11 a.m. to noon at Greenpoint Library, 107 Norman Ave. This event is part of the City's First Readers initiative, which holds giveaways and read aloud events every month. See the flier »

• Wednesday, May 4: The Brooklyn Public Library invites you to a big Brooklyn playdate for children ages three and under and their parents and caregivers from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Central Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza. There will be games and activities that encourage early literacy. See the flier »

Opportunities and Resources

• Free classes in nursing, digital literacy and more: The State University for New York will open an Adanced Technology Training and Information Networking (ATTAIN) lab at 1604 St. John's Place in Brooklyn on April 18. You can stop by to receive free classes in math, reading, writing, test prep, nursing, childcare, office skills, digital literacy and more. For more details, call 718-771-7720, ext. 221 or see the website »

• Free legal help with housing: If you are being threatened with eviction or worried about losing your housing for some other reason, reach out to CAMBA Homebase, a community organization that can help you avoid homelessness. You can walk into their office at 1958 Fulton St. on the first floor on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., or call them at 718-408-5756, ext. 37105. For more details, see the flier in English and Spanish »

• Short-term crisis housing for young women: If you know a runaway or homeless young woman between the ages of 16 and 20, please refer her to Inwood House Maya's Place Crisis Residence. Maya's Place offers 30 days of housing, case management, counseling and other services to young women in crisis. For more information, call 718-824-2250.

• $2,000 grants for Brooklyn community initiatives: The We Are All Brooklyn Grant-Making Committee is accepting applications for grants of up to $2,000 for initiatives offering educational opportunities for teens. The application deadline is April 12. For more information and to apply, see the website »

• Computer resource centers provide free digital literacy classes and more: There are 32 computer resource centers at NYC parks and recreation centers throughout the city. Computer resource centers offer digital learning opportunities and internet access to New Yorkers of all ages. For more information and to find a center near you, visit the website »

• Volunteer to help the homeless: The NYC Department of Homeless Services is looking for volunteers for its homeless shelter library program and annual street survey. If you're interested in lending a hand, see a flier for more details »

Free summer camps and programs

• Free sleep-away camp: The Fresh Air Fund sends low-income New York City children to sleep-away camps and to stay with host families in upstate New York free of charge. It is accepting applications for this summer now, and applications are available in English, Spanish, Bengali, Chinese, French and Korean. To learn more and apply, visit the website »

• Summer youth police academy: New York City children who are between the ages of 10 and 16 and attending school are welcome to apply for the New York Police Department's summer youth academy. This 6-week program, running from July 5 to Aug. 12, offers educational sessions about law, behavioral science, drug prevention and gang resistance. Students will also enjoy field trips and outdoor volunteer opportunities. There are locations in all boroughs. Lunch and transportation are included. Applications are being accepted until May 20. To learn more and apply, visit the website »

• Summer employment for New Yorkers between 14 and 24 years old: The New York City Department of Youth and Community Development is accepting applications for its summer youth employment program. Anyone between the ages of 14 and 24 who is a New York resident is eligible to apply for a paid summer job, plus workshops about career awareness, money management and more. Applications will be accepted until April 15. Apply online now »