Children First Blog
Want to know the latest news? You'll find it all in the most recent newsletter HERE!
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. [...]
December 30, 2019
By Reverend Brock Leach – Director, Children First Board, Chair Emeritus 2013-2015
In a world of big, future-threatening problems, how should we invest what poet Mary Oliver calls “this one wild and precious life”? I want to make the case for kids.
As a minister who works to strengthen communities, I’ve become convinced that what fundamentally ails [...]
November 22, 2019
Dropping your child off at a safe and reliable preschool should ease nerves for most parents, but for many, the challenges of the day are just beginning. Financial trouble, food instability, reliable employment, and access to education are struggles many families in our community face. That’s why Children First has to be so much more [...]
September 30, 2019
October 22nd, 2019 – What Makes a Best Place to Work?
Residential and commercial services, insurance, health care, social services, manufacturing services and a hair salon. The Herald-Tribune’s 2019’s list of Best Places to Work in Sarasota and Manatee contains quite a variety of workplaces, from larger companies to small and medium-sized companies alike.
And ‘alike’ is the operative [...]
July 15, 2019
Children First has been selected for a matching grant through the Reading is Fundamental (RIF) literacy network for its commitment to lifelong learning. Books for Ownership is RIF’s flagship reading program that enables children to select new, age-appropriate books to take home and is supported by resources for educators, caregivers, and volunteers in order to [...]
July 15, 2019
Sarasota, FL – 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 [...]
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Today, we continue to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as we celebrate our agency’s 60 years of commitment to creating opportunities for children and families in need. ![]()
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“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. #MLKDay
Each year, #SeasonOfSharing covers crucial expenses for basic needs such as rental assistance, utility bills, child care, transportation, or food vouchers to help families and individuals in our region get back on their feet following an unforeseen crisis.![]()
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In celebration of The Patterson Foundation's decade of continuous support for the annual campaign, it has awarded Children First a one-time honorarium for our dedicated role in connected #SeasonOfSharing recipients with these much-needed funds from community donors. Thank you for the special recognition and support directly benefiting our children and families!
Thank you to Sarasota Memorial Health Care System for adopting so many of our children and families this holiday season across NINE different departments! You have made this year so special for so many, and for that we are deeply grateful. Thank you!
Special thank you to St. John's United Methodist Church for adopting 125 children during our holiday program this year and completely filling our large conference room with presents! We are truly blown away by your generosity and community good will. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
