Parent Provider Connection

 Sonja Zuniga Harris- Executive Director

 560 Dunnell Drive, Suite 207

 Owatonna, MN

 507-455-2560

 507-455-9297 (fax)

​Parent Provider Connection's mission is to provide support and resources for the care, education, and health of young children, families, and home childcare providers.

Childcare Referrals

We help families find licensed, quality childcare.

Childcare Assistance Scholarship

Our childcare scholarships ease family stress by paying a portion of one of the financial commitments. Our support allows parents to maintain stable and safe childcare while working or completing their education.

Bilingual Parenting Classes

These classes offer the basic needs that parents need for raising a happy and healthy child. It teaches them about simple caring for children (i.e., listening, loving, holding, nurturing, bathing, etc.), who should care for their child in their absence, proper nutrition, when and where to get their child's vaccinations, proper sleeping environment, and car seat safety.

Bilingual Parent Mentoring

This program helps parents, caregivers, and communities create early learning opportunities for young childern.  It is built around awareness, educatoin, and action.  We work with families during pregnancy or immediately after the delivery of their child.  We will work with them as a parenting coach to help them learn about:

        -Car Seat Safety

        -The Benefits and necessity of cognitive stimulating

          activities with their infant;

        -The importance of well baby and vaccination doctor visits;

        -The benefits of a healthy diet for both mother and child;

        -The responsibility they have to their child to abstain from

          excessive drug use or smoking and the complete abstinence

          from all non-prescription drugs;

        -The need for a safe sleeping environment

        -And that they are all given the skills and support they need

         to raise a healthy and happy child.

Training

We offer a major annual conference to all of Southern Minnesota early childhood educators.  This training is instrumental in keeping these childcare providers and educators up-to-date on their continuing education credits.

Child & Adult Care Food Program

The Child & Adult Care Food Program is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that provides rembursement for nutritious meals and snacks in family childcare homes.