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Children First Blog
Read our most recent newsletter HERE!
August 10, 2023
We are proud to announce that five employees have recently earned the national Family Development Credential through the University of Connecticut!
The Family Development Credential (FDC) emerged in 1994 from a research-policy collaborative. The program provides frontline workers with the knowledge and skills they need to coach families to set and reach their own goals for [...]
June 14, 2023
“A father is neither an anchor to hold us back, nor a sail to take us on a journey, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way.”
– Anonymous
Once a year, we stop to honor and remember the most important man in our lives – our dad. Photographer Anne Geddes perhaps said it best [...]
May 23, 2023
Carlos Yancy is a Business Development Specialist with BayFirst Bank in Newtown, where he and his team have a direct focus on making a difference in our community and in the lives of those we serve.
He is also a proud Children First alumni and third-generation Sarasota resident. From a young age, he was taught the [...]
May 18, 2023
(Left to right: CEO Philip Tavill, VP of Programs Kathleen Sullivan, VP of Philanthropy Jessica Rogers, and Board Chair Brock Leach)
Philip Tavill, CEO of Children First, has been honored by the National Head Start Association (NHSA) for his significant achievements in excellence in community service.
The NHSA represents more than one million children, 275,000 staff, [...]
May 11, 2023
Once each year we stop to say thank you to the most important person in our world – our mother. She loves unconditionally, is our first and most important teacher, and our constant source of strength and love through good times and bad.
Here at Children First, we understand there is no more important job in [...]
April 25, 2023
“Thy loving smile will surely hail the love-gift of a fairy tale.”
On April 1, the magic of Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking Glass,” his sequel to “Alice in Wonderland,” created a festive backdrop for the 23rd Annual Fairytale Ball, hosted by Children First at Michael’s on East.
In the words of Alice, “The only way to [...]
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Thank you to one of our amazing volunteers, Gayle, who visited with some of the children in our Early Head Start program in honor of Reading for Literacy Day! ![]()
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The children enjoyed the stories of Chica-Chica Boom Boom and The Hungry Caterpillar after a healthy and nutritious breakfast. #manyhandsmakelightwork
We can't wait to "sea" everyone at our annual beachside fashion show and luncheon at the picturesque Sharky's On the Pier! Limited seats and sponsorships are available - secure your spot now: www.childrenfirst.net/?p=5364
Happy Friday! ![]()
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We just had to share this sweet photo of one of our teachers, Bridget, with two of the newest and youngest children to join our program - this adorable set of twins! #twinning
In honor of World Gratitude Day, we'd like to say THANK YOU to the Jerome & Mildred Paddock Foundation for providing our agency with a grant of $50,000 in support of our family strengthening services!![]()
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Our family strengthening services encompass a comprehensive range of programs, including prenatal education, early childhood development initiatives, parent training and support, and access to essential resources. #gratitude
We are honored to be featured by our partners at the Florida Head Start Association! ![]()
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Being named as a Top Workplace in our region is a testament to the incredible work and commitment that our staff, families, and supporters put in each and every day. Thank you!#ThankfulThursday this week goes to Children First, Inc. for recently being named as Top Workplace in Sarasota-Manatee for the fifth consecutive year. In addition, Children First also received national recognition through Top Workplaces USA in the nonprofit category. We are so excited to congratulate Children First on this major accomplishment! Help us share the celebration in the comments🎉![]()
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For more information visit these links- ![]()
www.tampabaynewswire.com/2023/09/05/children-first-named-as-top-workplace-in-sarasota-manatee-for...![]()
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sarasotanewsleader.com/children-first-recognized-as-top-employer-in-sarasota-manatee-area-for-fif...
February 27, 2017
Children First, Sarasota County’s exclusive provider of Head Start and Early Head Start programs, was awarded the WEDU “Be More Informed” Nielsen Marketing Campaign Award during the 2017 WEDU Be More Awards Luncheon & Ceremony in Tampa on February 23. Children First was recognized for our “Raise Your Hand” campaign. The “Be More Informed” award [...]
October 26, 2017
Transitioning from one distinguished learning institution to another, Jessica Rogers will join Children First on December 6, 2017 as the new Vice President of Philanthropy after spending eleven years working in fundraising at New College of Florida, the state’s designated honors college for the liberal arts and sciences. As the leader of Children First’s philanthropy [...]
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 [...]