A community-based initiative supporting families raising bilingual and multilingual children.
Weekly Polish Story Time sessions and other community-based activities for families with children.
All programs are offered free of charge.
We are a registered nonprofit organization in Washington, DC, currently in the process of obtaining 501(c)(3) status.
We support families who want to raise children with the Polish language as a meaningful and active part of their everyday lives.
Our work focuses on early childhood and family-centered language experiences.
We believe that the most important role in language transmission belongs to the parent, and that language develops through relationships, play, and everyday interaction.
We are not a school.
We do not offer formal instruction or structured classes.
Instead, we create environments where language is lived — not taught.
We create informal, community-based opportunities for children and families to experience Polish in everyday contexts. Programs are drop-in and do not require registration.
Weekly sessions focused on shared reading, play, and early language exposure.
Language-rick interaction for older children and families.
Expanding access to Polish-language books and resources.
Family-centered activities that support language use through interaction and play.
Ongoing support and practical guidance for families through our online channels (Facebook, WhatsApp).
Our programs are for families who want Polish to be part of everyday life:
👶 Families with young children, especially ages 0–5
🌍 Bilingual and multilingual families
🇵🇱 Families of Polish heritage (caregivers who were themselves born and/or rised outside Poland)
🏠 Families who want to maintain, strengthen, or introduce Polish at home
We especially welcome families looking for simple, joyful ways to support Polish through stories, play, and community.
Why It Matters
Language is more than communication — it shapes identity, belonging, and connection across generations.
For many families living outside Poland, maintaining Polish as a heritage language can be challenging. Without regular, meaningful exposure, children often lose the ability to use and connect with the language.
Supporting heritage language development contributes to cultural continuity, multilingual competence, and stronger family and community connections.
Our approach focuses on early childhood and family-centered experiences, where language develops through relationships, play, and shared cultural activities.
By creating accessible, informal opportunities to engage with Polish, we help families make the language part of everyday life.
Our work is led by educators and community organizers with experience in bilingual development and cultural programming, and is carried out on a fully volunteer basis.
dr Katarzyna Grabska,
President
Aneta Radzikowski, Treasurer
Marta Kaźmierska-Skupińska, Secretary
Anna Preston,
Board Member
PhD in Economics; founder of PCC and Polish Story Time, with experience in teaching Polish as a heritage language in the Netherlands.
Mathematician at the International Monetary Fund; contributes over 10 years of experience supporting Polish cultural and community initiatives in the DMV area.
Architect with an international background; brings experience in education, translation, and multilingual environments.
Elementary school teacher with degrees in English philology and education; brings experience in language teaching and working with young learners.
🤝 Partnerships
Polish Cultural Collective collaborates with local libraries in the DMV area to expand access to Polish-language resources and programming.
We are grateful for this support.
🏛 Affiliations & Recognition
Polish Story Time is registered as a Polish-heritage educational institution in the government-led ORPEG database.
Part of the Reading Families Club, an initiative of the Cała Polska Czyta Dzieciom Foundation.
Fiscal partner: the Polish Library in Washington, D.C.
Collaboration with the Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Washington, D.C.
🌍 Looking Ahead
We are expanding partnerships with institutions and organizations that support Polish education and culture abroad.