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Children First Blog
Want to know the latest news?
You'll find it all in the most recent newsletter HERE!
You'll find it all in the most recent newsletter HERE!
July 8, 2019
The Margaret L. Bates Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County awarded Children First a $5,000 grant to support a Career Readiness for Women course through the agency’s Families First Institute. The Institute is a family-focused initiative aimed at strengthening Sarasota County’s most economically vulnerable families. The grant will play a vital role in [...]
June 11, 2019
Generation GIV, the inaugural young professional’s giving circle of Children First, presented our award-winning Families First Institute with a check for $5,000 on May 15 at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing. The funds will support a ‘Positive Solutions for Families’ class.
Launched in 2018, Generation GIV focuses on young professionals who have a desire to change lives [...]
June 6, 2019
Every first Friday night of the month residents of Gran Paradiso, gather together to enjoy Happy Hour in the activities center at the clubhouse.
In February 2019, Dick and Deborah Miller assumed the responsibility of hosting the popular event introducing a “monthly theme” with decorations.
The monthly Happy hour event gives new residents an opportunity to meet [...]
May 20, 2019
In the summer of 2018, Children First quietly launched a new endeavor with a focus on young professionals who have a desire to change lives across our community: Generation GIV. In their effort to create a greater and more meaningful impact through philanthropy, members voted on three different projects and opted to fund the [...]
May 7, 2019
Children First and State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) are proud to announce the formalization of an Early Childhood Education Partnership. Students in the Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education will complete their final teaching internship in Children First Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms. These students will intern with teachers in early [...]
April 22, 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 [...]
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Children First has been nominated in FOUR categories for the 2022 Best of SRQ Local competition, an annual contest conducted by SRQ Magazine! Click here to vote now: www.srqmagazine.com/2022/bestof![]()
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• Best Local Children's Non-Profit![]()
• Best Local Non-Profit![]()
• Best Non-Profit Leader, Philip Tavill![]()
• Best Community Accomplishment – The Challenge for Changing Lives, Diamond Circle![]()
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Voting closes on February 9th! You can vote once per day for any or all of the above categories.![]()
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We know that these incredible milestones would not be possible without you. Thank you for helping Children First continue be our "best!"
Thanks to private support from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and other incredible community members, five parents have successfully completed the first phase of our Parent Training Program! ![]()
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The goal of the Parent Training Program is to help our parents build employability skills and get experience in four different areas at Children First under guidance from our Vocational Family Advocate. Areas include: ![]()
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•Early Childhood Development![]()
•Food Service![]()
•Maintenance/Facilities![]()
•Clerical Services![]()
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Phase one consists of job observation, where each parent shadows Children First staff in all four areas. Three parents chose to move on to the second phase, which focuses on targeted training in their chosen field. One parent has already been hired and is working for our agency as a nutrition substitute, and another has chosen to continue her education and earn her GED with the goal to become an electrician. ![]()
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Congratulations to all of our parents, we are so proud of your continued hard work and success!
Congratulations to our Assistant Director of Donor Relations, Alyssa Simons on being selected as one of Sarasota’s 35 under 35. Check out the December issue of SRQ Magazine to read about the other incredible nominees. ![]()
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www.facebook.com/143763662336516/posts/4552543724791799/?d=n
Thank you to all of our holiday heroes, who helped adopt every child and family in our program this holiday season! ![]()
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Thank you to St. John's United Methodist Church, Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Andrea Capek and the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, Pajama Program, Suncoast Charities for Children, Rendezvous Lounge, Recycled Reading Buddies, and all of our thoughtful, generous donors who helped make this holiday season bright! ![]()
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To see our full list of holiday supporters, please click link below!![]()
r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001grY3Rhxxv0UN1NPBXZDNbozwcCep4_dpJDV3Pg63qM5lHa_dAcYhG24ZYRNNh8t88HWr7bHu8...
January 22, 2020
Children First, Inc., the exclusive provider of Head Start and Early Head Start services in Sarasota County, is excited to welcome the new slate of board leadership for 2020. Lisa Giglio is the former co-owner of Freedom Boat Club, and has served as an early childhood educator and Director of Education at Sylvan Learning Center. [...]
March 2, 2020
Children First volunteer Tom Cook was presented with the Be More Involved Mason Dixon Award for Volunteerism at the 15th annual WEDU Public Media Be More Awards. Children First was also recognized as a finalist in three other categories, including the Be More Brilliant, Be More Relevant, and Be More Unstoppable 2020 Nonprofit of [...]
March 10, 2020
In 2018, the Giving Challenge enabled Children First to provide the highest quality early childhood education and family strengthening services to more than 700 children and their families. Our children were able to grow and dream in a safe space, receive the education and care they needed to thrive, and get their tummies filled with [...]
March 18, 2020
A Message from CEO Philip Tavill:
As an agency dedicated to strengthening those most vulnerable within our community, we are reaching out to you, the members of our Children First family, directly: the children and families we serve, staff members, volunteers, supporters, and partners. Our highest priority is to ensure the health and well-being of the [...]