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First Connections CFCE and ParentChild+

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Acton, MA
First Connections CFCE and ParentChild+

First Connections is funded by CFCE and PC+ grants from MA EEC awarded to JRI To view our direct services and programs, please go to: www.firstconnections.org

We provide free support, early childhood and parent education, and resources to all families with children under age 9 living in Acton, Bedford, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Harvard, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, Sudbury, Westford and Hanscom AFB.

11/25/2025

Have you ever wondered how First Connections is funded? And what does that CFCE in our name mean? And why are we asking you for money?

Emily breaks down where our funding comes from and why we still have a gap in our budget. We know not everyone can donate, and that’s ok. Our programs will always be free and open to all!

But if you have some room in your family’s budget, we would really appreciate a donation in any amount! Click the link in our bio, scan the QR code, or enter this link: https://give.jri.org/give/252505/?_gl=1*1q1y9tc*_gcl_au*MTI5NjYxNTQ1OC4xNzYzNDI2ODA4*_ga*MjA5ODg3Mzk0Ni4xNzYzNDI2ODA4*_ga_9NRYN5RFLL*czE3NjM0MjY4MDckbzEkZzAkdDE3NjM0MjY4MDckajYwJGwwJGgw #!/donation/checkout

Thank you! And keep an eye out for updates on our progress to our fundraising goals and rewards for you!

11/21/2025

We’re kicking off our fundraising campaign for 2025! And Ms Ellie is making an exception to her no rewards for good behavior rule 😂 to see if we can incentivize the adults to help us reach our fundraising goals!

If we reach $1,000 in donations, I’ll record a video of me singing the crowd favorite, “Hurry, Hurry, Drive the Fire Truck.” 🚒 Link in our bio or on our website to donate.

We’ll keep you updated in stories, and post some more goals and rewards.

P.S.—Ms Jasmine is upping our video production! Pretty slick, right!?

11/20/2025

Coming up on Dec 3: Navigating the 4th Trimester workshop with . 6:30-8:00 at the Steinberg Wellness Center in Concord.

FREE and open to any expectant parents, whether it’s your first baby or your fourth. Join Emily Fiorini, LMHC, and Mary Beilman, lactation counselor and sleep consultant to learn about helpful postpartum resources in the community and to make a plan for all the aspects of your life that will be affected by this big, exciting change.

Email Emily at efiorini@jri.org with questions.
Register here: https://emersonhealth.jotform.com/253204506617048

Please share with any expecting parents you know!

11/19/2025

Coming up on Thursday December 11 at Goodnow Library in Sudbury! Mary Beilman, CEIM will be teaching infant massage at our next in-person First Year of Life support group.

Mary was a longtime facilitator of new parents groups at First Connections, and if you speak to anyone who attended a group of hers, they will tell you how wonderful she is! This is a great opportunity to learn some elements of infant massage, which can help soothe a gassy baby, support sleep, enhance your connection with your baby, and help the baby and caregiver with emotion regulation.

This group is FREE and open to anyone in the first year after welcoming a new baby, but we do ask that you register by emailing Linda at lmatthews@jri.org. And you can attend the group all other weeks of the month virtually. Email the facilitator Emily at efiorini@jri.org for the Zoom link.

11/11/2025

Wow, we are blown away by the generosity of our community! We have been walking on air the last week as we have seen all the diaper donations roll in! THANK YOU!! 🙏

And we are so grateful that our great friends at are having a diaper drive for us through the end of the year. That will really set us up for the start of 2026! We are so lucky to be part of such a wonderful community!

And if you want to donate through our Amazon wish list, we welcome it anytime: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3I9EPWNOC4PAD/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex

11/04/2025

Your donations through our Amazon wish list keep our diaper pantry up and running, so thank you! But often, especially with the bigger sizes, as soon as the diapers come in, they are out the door to a family in need.

So, if you can afford to and send us a box of diapers every month, it would be so very much appreciated!

And thanks to Ms. Jasmine, here is a quick tutorial on how to do it.

Here’s the Amazon link: https://a.co/8JCxB91

Thank you so much for helping us support families who are struggling to afford the cost of diapers! You’re making a real difference in your community!

11/02/2025

In these challenging times, we know so many in our community are looking for ways to support their neighbors, so Linda put together this list of local food assistance organizations and how you can donate/help them.

Of course, we also always welcome donations to our diaper pantry from our Amazon wish list: https://a.co/8JCxB91, or dropping off diapers at our office. Thank you so much to everyone who has already donated!

If you are looking for food assistance for your family, you can find a list of local food pantries and community suppers on our website. And if you are looking for for other resources for your family, you can email Linda at lmatthews@jri.org.

10/26/2025

📣 Calling all parents of new babies! 👶 If you are in the first year postpartum, you are welcome to join our First Year of Life support group on Thursdays at 9:30am. Meet other parents in the same stage of life, get support for your challenges and share your triumphs, and learn that you are not alone.

The group is FREE and open to all. It meets virtually 3 times a month, and in person once a month. Mark your calendars for November 13th, when the group will meet in person at the Goodnow Public Library in Sudbury.

The group is facilitated by Emily Fiorini, LMHC. You can email her at efiorini@jri.org with questions, to receive the Zoom link, and to register for the in-person meeting.

10/24/2025

It looks like it's going to be a nice weekend, and if you're looking for something non-Halloween to do with your kids, check out our story walk of "Saturday" at the playground at Roudenbush at Frost. It will be up until Nov 4th.

10/22/2025

❓Did you know❓

🔵 First Connections has a diaper pantry which provides local families in need with free diapers.
🟢 You cannot buy diapers with WIC or SNAP (food stamps).
🟡 We no longer have funding to buy diapers, so we rely entirely on community donations.
🔴 Diapers are EXPENSIVE!

Now for the good news! 🎉
⭐️ You can donate any diapers you have that you don’t need—even open packages! Drop them off anytime at 179 Great Rd, Suite 104a, Acton.
⭐️ We now have a link to our Amazon wish list in our bio!
⭐️ You can organize a diaper drive in your community and coordinate with Linda, lmatthews@jri.org, to donate them to us!
⭐️ We have an amazingly generous community that helps us serve local families who are struggling financially! ⭐️

Thank you for your support!

10/20/2025

It’s pumpkin time! 🎃 We have been having so much fun with this rhyme in playgroups, and we wanted to share it with everyone!

And there are educational benefits too! All the hand motions help kids who are developing verbal language learn other ways to communicate. And learning ordinal number words like “first, second” etc is early math!

10/13/2025

We still have a couple of spots open in this group that starts next Thursday! This group will be a combination of parent/caregiver discussion group and playgroup for kids. We'll be reading the excellent book, "How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen." Everyone who registers will get a free copy of the book, and the group is FREE to attend!

Come on your own, or bring your kids. The adults will discuss a portion of the book each week while the kids playaround us, and we'll end each session with a short circle time for the kids. Ms. Ellie will be facilitating, with some support from other First Connections staff to support the kids.

It's a great place to get some support or ideas around areas where you're struggling with your kids and to learn some practical strategies you can use in many different situations.

As always, email Linda to sign up, lmatthews@jri.org. And email Ellie if you have questions, espringer@jri.org. And please share with anyone you think might be interested.

Address

179 Great Road, Ste 104A
Acton, MA
01720

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 4pm
Tuesday	9am - 4pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	9am - 4pm

Website

http://www.jri.org/firstconnections

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