December Events at Recess

Winter has arrived in San Francisco and we invite you and your family to come indoors to play!

Read on to learn what we have going on this month. Note that we will be closed 12/24-1/2 so that our staff can be with their families for the holidays.

If you’re looking for a last minute gift, consider a gift card to Recess. It’s valid for a membership, a day of play, workshops, and even items in our pop up shop.

WORKSHOPS THIS MONTH

• Saturday 12/7, Infant Sleep Solutions *WEBINAR*. Lay the foundation for good sleep with expert advice from Dr. Angelique Millette.

• Sunday 12/8, Infant, Child & Adult CPR. Learn lifesaving skills that will be absolutely essential should you run into a situation where your child is choking, drowning or has stopped breathing.

• Thursday 12/12, Baby Sign Language. Gain tools to communicate with your babe and develop their linguistic skills at the same time.

PLAY

• Tuesday 12/3 In celebration of GivingTuesday, join us for an open house. We'll have treats and "after hours" play. Come on by 5:-6:30pm.

• Monday, 12/9, Little Ladybugs Music - free for members

• Thursdays, 12/12 & 12/19, Music Time with Carissa - free for members

• Saturday, 12/21, Toddle and Me Playgroup for LGBTQ+ families, with Our family Coalition

Here are some local events we thought you might like:

12/4: 10am-6pm Walt Disney Museum’s Annual Free Day | 2019 (Free)

12/7: 11:30am SantaCon SF Union Square (Free)

12/7: Shop local at The Collab

12/14: 12pm-4pm Community Day at the Park (Fillmore Mini Park) (Free)

12/15: All Day Illuminate 2019: SF’s Festival of Light (Free)

12/15: Makers Market at Sunset Coop

12/22: 3-6pm Pop-Up Glowing Hanukkah Party at Ghirardelli Square (Free) (Advanced reservations requested*)

What else would you like to see? If there are additional ways we can make the journey of raising children in SF more enjoyable, please let us know! We're open to collaborations, ideas, etc.

Wishing you peace and warmth during this holiday season.

Best,

Lisa

Making Holidays Bright

As our days grow shorter, many of us shift our thoughts to gratitude for all that we have and the joy of the holiday season.  However, many San Francisco families with young children struggle to meet their basic needs and may go without enough food and warm clothing, let alone toys or other holiday gifts.  

For the past 5 years, Recess has hosted a monthly playgroup for clients of the Nurse Family Partnership program. These meet-ups are designed to support first time, at-risk, mothers find their community. Some are in shelters, some have recently moved into permanent housing, and some of the mamas have children with special needs. These monthly playgroups have changed lives. Mothers, who typically see their nurses 1:1, actually get to meet one another and build community.

These are some of the families we’ll be supporting through the holiday giving program. We couldn’t be more thrilled to pool our resources to brighten their lives for the holidays! Thank you for joining us.

This year, sfsmiles and Recess are joining forces to support 30 or more families

With your help we can make the holiday brighter for families struggling with poverty or economic strain. This holiday program will benefit 30+ families in need. Each family has been referred and screened by our partner organizations, Nurse Family Partnership & Sunset Youth Services to ensure that your gift is reaching those most in need.

By donating any dollar amount, you will play a key role in providing each family a holiday package tailored to their needs. Each will include some combination of holiday meals, developmentally appropriate toys for each child, a year of play & community at Recess, and household items like blankets, towels, or sheets, depending on their wishlist.   

Each family’s holiday package will be approximately $350 in value.  Below, you may choose the dollar amount you’re able to contribute.  If you'd like to support families year round, please choose a monthly or quarterly installment option.

All donors will be invited to come wrap gifts for the kids and write cards.  Gifts will be distributed at a group playdate for the families in mid-December.  

Wishes to you and yours for a warm holiday season.

Donate

Gratitude. Recess Collective turns ONE - and Recess as an organization turns 12!

We have tremendous gratitude for everyone who has made the space we've created a true community. Sending love to all of our Potrero Hill members. Those who have come with us to the Sunset. And all of our new Sunset Recess Collective members too!

Recess started in December of 2007 with a soft open... and here we are, 13 years later, still operating as a place for families to come together, share firsts, make long lasting connections, and navigate the sometimes messy journey of parenthood.

We had to pivot to stay alive. After 11 years in Potrero Hill, Recess moved to the Sunset and converted to a nonprofit. And Recess Collective, our new organization, turns one today ☝️.

It's been a busy year...I had a baby a couple weeks after the new location opened, and we had to get through various challenges with the city. But the process of establishing another Recess has solidified my vision that every neighborhood can and should have a space like this. That's our goal. We need funding to make it a reality and hope that our nonprofit status, collaborations with the city and philanthropic giving will help us get there in the next year or two. Please share this with anyone who may be interested in playing a key role in creating neighborhood hubs for families with young children. Together, we have an opportunity to truly change lives by creating community and supporting child development.

We could not have gotten through it without our incredible staff, volunteers, partners, and families. Thank you for making Recess what it is ❤️

And if you've been meaning to come by, but haven't made it in yet, please join us for our open house on December 3.  Tuesday 12/3 is GivingTuesday and we're hosting an open house from 5:30-6:30.  Please come in to say hello, make a donation, or take part in some "after hours" play.  

With Thanks,
Lisa
and the Recess team

When a baby is born, So is a parent

Mobile offering: New Parent Groups

Being a new parent is an exciting, exhausting, and magical time. Only you truly know the emotional and physical toll a new baby brings, and what a unique and personal experience it is.  

Our New Parent Groups are geared towards preparing and supporting new parents in this journey.  Whether you're pregnant or have a new baby, you'll likely have questions about a variety of topics.  

Carve out a little special time each week, for you, to connect with other new parents, commiserate, and feel a little less isolated.  

Some weeks, we have an expert in the field joining us to share relevant information -- on topics ranging from pelvic wellness to breastfeeding to baby sign language to child development…and other weeks we simply gather to chat, field questions and share resources.

We invite you to hang out and get to know other new parents, recharge in a laid back environment, and venture to a nearby park or cafe afterwards, if you'd like. 

• Bring a beverage, get settled, and enjoy the infant toys available

• Meet other new parents

• Stay for Q & A and connect

Join Us

We run the groups in 5 week chunks so that we can build community. These meet-ups are a suggested donation of $95 for the four-week series, and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Simply pay what you can. At the moment, our offerings are limited. Please reach out if you have a group of new parents interested in connecting in a supportive environment and we can come to you.

• BYO baby blankets, food/drink, anything to keep you hydrated & your babe happy.

• Open to newborns, through crawling infants.  

• Don't worry if you need to take a break to feed, change a diaper, or step away to get some fresh air.  

• We all get it and are happy to have you in whatever form that takes (babies are unpredictable!).

Would you like to bring a new parent group to your neighborhood? Reach out! When we have 5 interested families, we can mobilize.