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!
February 25, 2021
February 25, 2021
The circumstances of the last year have forced non-profits to make dramatic changes. WEDU PBS presents Be More Unstoppable, a special broadcast to celebrate non-profits and share stories of resilience and spirit during a challenging year.
Children First and CEO Philip Tavill joined area nonprofits in sharing the many ways we have pivoted [...]
February 1, 2021
February 1, 2021
In 1961, the Junior League of Sarasota, formerly the Junior Welfare League of Sarasota, founded the Sarasota Day Nursery with a mission to prepare children from low-income families for Kindergarten. Their work changed lives and built a strong foundation, and in 1994 the agency became Sarasota County’s exclusive provider of Head Start [...]
January 26, 2021
January 26, 2021
PGT Innovations, a national leader in the premium windows and doors category, has partnered with Children First, the exclusive provider of Head Start and Early Head Start services for Sarasota County, to kick off the agency’s 60th anniversary in a special initiative called “60 for 60.”
In honor of Children First’s major milestone, the agency is [...]
January 15, 2021
January 15, 2021 – Sarasota
Dr. Melania Kesoglou, Ed.S., Ph.D., and Director of Education at Children First, has been invited to serve on the National Head Start Association’s Region IV Foster Care Challenge (FCC) Committee. In her role, Dr. Kesoglou will help to oversee the FCC’s work in Head Start’s Region IV, the southeastern United [...]
January 13, 2021
Philip Tavill, the longtime president and CEO of Children First, Sarasota County’s exclusive Head Start provider, has vivid memories of spending time beside his father, a physician working in public health, in locations from Morocco to Milwaukee. His South African mother’s passionate anti-apartheid stance also helped shape his concern for others. “Together, they [...]
January 13, 2021
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 2021. Liz Stamoulis, partner at Williams Parker Harrison Dietz & Getzen, Linda Monda, community philanthropist with a special focus on education, children, and families, and Joe Stephan, former Vice President for the National Cash [...]
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Our friends from Northwestern Mutual spent a day volunteering at our Helen R. Payne Annex on Martin Luther King Way. Jenna, Lydia, Ryan, Tony, and Herrmann emptied and cleaned ALL of the toys from the Head Start and Early Head Start toy sheds. The toys and the sheds look great after the makeover, and the students had a wonderful surprise of clean toys to play with when they returned to school on Monday!![]()
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Northwestern Mutual volunteers also helped us mulch and refresh the plantings at our Dr. Elaine Marieb Center in fall of 2019. Thank you for all your hard work and continued commitment to our mission! #60for60
We are honored to be a recipient of a grant from Bank of America which will help us continue working toward our mission of providing high-quality services to children and families in need. Now more than ever, these contributions are so important in supporting our community's most vulnerable. Thank you! #BofAGrantsChildren First has received a $10,000 grant from Bank of America![]()
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Children First, the exclusive provider of Head Start and Early Head Start services for Sarasota County, has received a $10,000 grant from Bank of America. The grant will help fund comprehensive educational programs and wraparound services for pregnant women, infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and their families living at-risk.![]()
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Bank of America’s key investment in the well-being of vulnerable children and families, many of whom live below the Federal Poverty Level of $21,960 for a family of 3, will secure a dollar-for-dollar match through The Challenge for Changing Lives, Children First’s 60th Anniversary challenge match campaign.![]()
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“This funding means we can continue to provide the highest quality early childhood education in our beautiful classrooms with dedicated teachers. It will also help to fill hungry tummies with delicious, nutritious food and provide the critical wraparound services, including emotional and behavioral support and family strengthening, that allows for our families to continue on their paths to independence,” says Children First CEO Philip Tavill. “Together, we are preparing our children to become whatever it is they dream to be and helping our families make their dreams a reality.”![]()
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In total, Bank of America has granted $410,000 to 19 nonprofits across Sarasota-Manatee this year. Through direct action and investment in organizations like Children First, the bank is focused on addressing basic needs fundamental to building life-long stability for residents in the region.![]()
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“Children First’s mission of strengthening the lives of children and families through comprehensive programs aligns with Bank of America’s commitment to Sarasota-Manatee residents,” said Mike McCoy, President, Bank of America Sarasota-Manatee. “By providing infants, toddlers and their parents with these valuable resources, we are positioning the next generation for success and in turn, helping the community prosper for years to come.”![]()
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About Children First:![]()
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Founded in 1961 and ranked in the top 1% out of over 1,800 Head Starts nationwide, Children First strengthens children and families by improving the quality of their lives through a comprehensive approach to development, education, health, and well-being. At 15 sites throughout Sarasota County, Children First offers full-day preschool, infant and toddler care, and nutrition and health care assistance to children ages birth to five years old from low-income families. ![]()
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Through Children First, the children receive the social and cognitive skills needed to enter kindergarten and elementary school on track. For more information, call (941) 953-3877 or go to childrenfirst.net.
Our long-time partnership with Zenith Insurance Company allows us to provide our children going to Kindergarten each year with backpacks full of supplies and educational books to help set them up for success! Thank you for your on-going commitment to our children and families, our mission, and our community! #60for60
Check out this awesome gratitude meditation led in Spanish by Family Advocate Denise! There are subtitles in English so the video can be enjoyed by all. Thank you Denise! #enhancingresilience
Practica de Gratitud (A Practice of Gratitude)
www.youtube.com
Family Advocate Denise Pacheco shares a bilingual meditation to practice gratitude.
Children First will be closed on Wednesday, July 7th due to inclement weather. Please continue to monitor our Facebook page and www.childrenfirst.net for updates. Check with your Family Advocate or immediate supervisor if you have any questions or are in need of assistance. We thank you for your understanding. Be safe and well.
