MANITOWANING—Manitoulin Family Resources (MFR) has added another EarlyON Child and Family Centre to its roster across Manitoulin, this time in Manitowaning. The Manitowaning site is a welcome addition to the other EarlyON locations in Little Current, Mindemoya and Gore Bay.
EarlyON Child and Family Centres “are a really friendly, welcoming environment for families and their children ages 0 to 6,” said Colleen Hill, executive director of MFR, “as well as parent/caregiver supports.”
The Little Current site has Baby and Me programming, for babies ages 0 to 12 months and their caregivers, which involves learning through music, language and rhyme. One of the three EarlyON facilitators is also available at this time for parenting information, resources, referrals and support.
The EarlyON centres also offer playgroups, drop-ins for playtime, monthly ‘parents’ night out’ and ‘let’s get moving’ nights and more.
Some of the playgroups do require pre-registration, so email earlyon@mfresources.net or text 705-302-1058 for more information or to get on the monthly calendar mailing list. The monthly calendar is also posted to MFR’s website mfresources.net and to its Facebook and Instagram pages.
“There is a lengthy waitlist for daycare spaces,” Ms. Hill said, adding that it was important to add another EarlyON centre due to the “incredible demand” for programming and supports for Island families.
The Manitowaning EarlyON centre is located in downtown at 46 Queen Street East. Little Current’s site is at 9050 Highway 6 in Little Current (the Manitoulin Business Centre), Gore Bay’s is at Lyons Memorial United Church and the Mindemoya location is at 27 Forest Street (in the MFR array of buildings).
