UIS offers resources to students facing food insecurity
On the campus of the University of Illinois Springfield lies a repurposed conference room full of refrigerators, shopping baskets, canned goods and bookcases stocked with bread. This room is the UISCares Food Pantry. Since 2016, UISCares has served as a resource to students facing life circumstances that result in “food insecurity” – or lack of…
Pursuing a lost cause
I don’t know whether or not the legislative Democratic leadership would’ve allowed a vote, but it is puzzling to me that the people behind the extension of the state’s Invest in Kids Act program didn’t at least try to run a bill that would’ve wound the program down over a period of years. Continuing to…
New books for the holiday season
One of my favorite children’s book authors is Mac Barnett, who has authored numerous picture books and middle-school chapter books. Each book I’ve read that he has written brings a smile to my face, and often also a chuckle. The likelihood that my kids and I laughed while reading one of his books is at…
Take your infant to work
We know about “Take Your Daughter/Son to Work” days, but what if you could take your infant to work every day? That is what is happening at the Illinois Educators’ Credit Union here in Springfield, and many companies across the U.S. have implemented a program known as Infant at Work. According to the Parenting in…
Big holiday feelings – for kids and parents
As the end of the year approaches, so do the winter holidays. As magical and wonderful as this time of year is, it can also feel chaotic and hectic. Families are dealing with a unique mixture of too much sugar and too little routine. For kids, the holidays can seem like they are filled with…
Kidzeum and the STEAM experience
Kidzeum occupies a unique niche in Springfield. As a science museum, children of all ages enjoy the exhibits centered around learning about a healthy body, healthy earth and healthy community. Kidzeum also offers many STEAM programs (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math). Its flagship program, STEAM Residency, began as “we were looking for a way…
