Touch A Truck

Since 2008, AMHA’s Early Childhood Initiative (ECI) has invited our families to come ‘jump on and honk the horn’, and enjoy food fun and prizes at our annual Touch a Truck event series. Looking back to July of 2019 when we wrapped up the last Touch a Truck of the year, little did we know we would not be back until almost three years later. 

On Wednesday, June 8th, our 12 annual Touch a Truck event series kicked off at Van Buren. Barberton families (a total of 149 people) were able to enjoy the Barberton City SWAT and fire trucks, METRO, and a tow truck. The Barberton City Police Chief and the elementary school resource officer also attended! Partners that joined included Barberton Preschool, Child Guidance & Family Solutions, Kent State University’s Project SHIELD, United Way’s Financial Empowerment Center, Summit Education Initiative’s 3 T’s, and Community Action Akron Summit Head Start. ECI’s Parents as Teachers and SPARK programs provided families with free books, a make and take activity, and provided the opportunity for families to have fun with sidewalk chalk while they were there.

It was a beautiful day in Barberton and we were thrilled to inch a little bit closer to ‘normal’ by being able to bring our favorite event back to our family developments. Other family developments that experienced this year’s Touch a Truck event were Pinewood Gardens, Joy Park, Valley View, Bon Sue, Honey Locust and Summit Lake!