What’s Briefly Happening in Toledo: Fall 2021

Climate Change: A Family Conversation
Imagination Station is facilitating an important dialogue with their video,“Climate Change: A Family Conversation,” which is now available on the organization’s Youtube channel. This video is an opportunity for parents to open up the topic of climate change with their children, as well as how they and their children can make a difference in saving the planet.

The video features children posing questions to Raghav and Dr. Kimberley Rain Miner, a climate scientist at NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, both of whom speak about the effects that are going to come in our lifetime if change is not made. “All over the world, you can see these changes happening. But the difference is that it’s happening in our life as opposed to these really long time periods, like thousands of years, which is the time frames that we have come to expect for Earth’s changes,” Dr. Miner explained. ―Kiera Jacobs

 

Join the squad

Mermaid Squad is the newest book series by Sherelle Gaston, a Toledo author whose goal is to teach children important values while furthering diverse representation in children’s books. Sherelle is a wife and mother of two, and her time working in children’s ministry inspired her to create books about people and prophets of the Bible that represent children today. From there, she started creating several of her own children’s book series’ to teach children the importance of God. Mermaid Squad and its coloring book counterpart are both out now, and the first 100 orders will receive a special gift with purchase. Her various other books can be found on Amazon. For more insight on Sherelle’s work, search “The Greatest In the Kingdom” on both Instagram and Facebook. ―Kiera Jacobs

Child Tax Credit Update
Thanks to the 2021 Child Tax Credit, a provision added as part of the American Rescue Plan for pandemic relief, anyone with a child under 18 years of age is eligible for monthly payments (totaling up to $3,000 annually for each child ages 7-18 and $3,600 annually for each child six and under). But what if you have given birth or are due to have a child in 2021? Don’t worry, you will still receive these funds. Here’s how it works: In late September, you will be able to note that you had a child this year at the irs.gov child tax credit portal. However, if you are due to give birth later this year, you won’t be able to add your child until they are born. I know, it’s complicated.

Rest assured, even if you don’t take this step to receive the payments monthly, you will receive the money in the form of a tax refund in 2022, unless you decide to opt out on the portal. Any household with an income under $440,000 qualifies for the assistance.
―Erin Holden

 

New inclusive playground

A huge milestone for our community was reached with the grand opening of the Perrysburg Inclusive Playground on July 31. Presented by Mercy Health, the playground is accessible to children of all abilities, and will hopefully be the first of many through the direction of Wood County Plays, a nonprofit that seeks greater inclusivity for all kids’ playgrounds. The play area includes features like bucket seats for children who need more support for the swings and zipline, ramps for wheelchair accessibility and aids to help the visually impaired. Visit the park at Rotary Community Park. 26350 Fort Meigs Rd., Perrysburg. info@wcplays.org. Check out wcplays.org to learn more about the organization and their upcoming playground project in Bowling Green. ―Erin Holden

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