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Children First Blog
Read our most recent newsletter HERE!
April 10, 2019
As colorful as the ballroom was, nothing compared to the shades of love that filled it at the Fairytale Ball on April 6. Thank you for sharing this enchanted evening with us.
Because of your support, children in our program will have access to the highest quality early education, their families will have the opportunity to continue their education or work, and many [...]
April 8, 2019
Co-chairs Matt & Krystel Beall, Stan & Jo Rutstein, Carol & Richard Kalikow, and Lisa & Mitch Olan pose for a photo on the dance floor. (Photo: Kayleigh Omang, Observer Media Group)
Children First brought guests back into the tales of their childhood April 6 at Michael’s On East.
Fairytale Ball: “The Enchanted Library” celebrated the work Children [...]
April 1, 2019
Alyssa Simons, Elaine Smith, Jessica Rogers, and Gail Clay
March 27th – Children First was the recipient of support from All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church at their annual fundraiser, Jazzy Nights, on March 20th. Parishioners of the church have gathered over 200 books in both English and Spanish for our children and families as [...]
April 1, 2019
On March 27th, a group from the Sarasota-Manatee Chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women attended a “Lunch & Learn” at Children First’s Marieb Early Learning Center. NCJW member and Children First Forever Ambassador Norma Cohen welcomed the group and spoke from her heart about why Children First is important to her.
Vice President of Philanthropy Jessica Rogers introduced everyone [...]
March 25, 2019
Children First Inc., the exclusive provider of Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Sarasota County, has named Howard Berman, former president and chief executive officer of The Lifetime Healthcare Companies Inc., and Keith Johnson, certified financial planner and client adviser of SunTrust Bank, to its board of directors for 2019. Both [...]
March 18, 2019
Children First was honored to be recognized as the 2019 Nonprofit of the Year at the 14th annual WEDU Be More Awards. As recipient of the “Be More Unstoppable” Award, Children First was chosen from a field of the Tampa Bay area’s most esteemed organizations. WEDU notes that the award is the most coveted and is [...]
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Thanksgiving is the wonderful time of year when we reflect on all that we have to give thanks for. ![]()
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At Children First, there are many things we are thankful for: our children and families we serve, our committed staff, dedicated volunteers, and our amazing supporters just like you, who make each day possible.![]()
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From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!![]()
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PS: If you're planning on doing any holiday shopping, please consider using Amazon Smile and selecting us as the recipient! smile.amazon.com/.../ref=smi_se_rspo_change_cycsc
As we continue sharing our gratitude this holiday week, we want to thank our USF College of Nursing interns who have spent the past 11 weeks helping our Comprehensive Services team, led by Health & Nutrition Manager Champaigne Spivey, MPH, CPH, and learning about important health and safety topics for children. ![]()
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Our incredible interns assisted with critical health exams for our children such as hearing, vision, and blood pressure screenings, and also spent time shadowing with our staff members as they learned about mental health, inclusion services, and nutrition education.![]()
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Thank you for your commitment to serving our children, families, and community!
We would like to give a special shoutout and BIG THANK YOU to Tanner's Turkeys and St. John's United Methodist Church for their incredible support of our children and families this holiday season!![]()
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Tanner's Turkeys and St. John's UMC each donated 50 fresh turkey meals for our families to enjoy with their loved ones, totaling 100 holiday meals. Thank you for your support of our children, families, and community!
We are so grateful to our incredible Vivacious Volunteers, who helped our Purple Crayon classroom create their very own turkey artwork, followed by a special "Turkey Trot" obstacle course! 🦃![]()
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This special group of volunteers was founded by the The Junior League of Sarasota Sustainers, led by Ollie Johnson. Thank you for your continued commitment to our children, families, and mission!
Nominations for Best of SRQ 2023 close TOMORROW at midnight! ![]()
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We are excited to share that there are FOUR categories where you can vote for Children First. Scan the QR code below or visit www.srqmagazine.com/2023/bestof... to nominate now!![]()
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Thank you for helping Children First continue to be our "best" each and every day!
January 14, 2022
Solar energy and sustainable practices are setting records across America and the state of Florida as demand for renewable resources continues to grow.
As part of an on-going effort in environmental stewardship for Sarasota County, Children First is working to create a more sustainable future through a cross-sector partnership, Partners for Green Places (PGP).
Launched in October [...]
March 3, 2022
Not all heroes wear capes, and the philanthropic spirit of our community during the 2020 Giving Challenge helped to save the day for hundreds of at-risk children and families. During this time, our families were suddenly facing a crisis like never before due to the unforeseen circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At Children First, 89% of [...]
March 16, 2022
Children First was one of five human service agencies honored with the 2022 Change Agent Philanthropic Award by SRQ Magazine. The awards were presented at a luncheon held at the Hyatt-Regency Sarasota recently, as part of SRQ’s SB2 symposia series.
The award was presented to organizations which have “proven their grit, determination and capacity to [...]
April 18, 2022
Once upon a time, on April 9 to be exact, more than 300 guests traveled “Into the Woods” for the 22nd annual Fairytale Ball, hosted by Children First at Michael’s on East, which was decorated as a magical forest, filled with dreams and discoveries waiting to be made.
The sold-out event was the first in-person gala [...]