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Children First In The Press
October 12, 2022
Areli Gervacio, who now works as the receptionist at the Children First Orange Avenue campus, came here from Mexico in 2000, when she was only 15 years old. She and her sister joined her parents who had moved here four years earlier. The young mother of five children, now ranging in age from 2-18, has [...]
September 30, 2022
EDITED: October 3, 2022
September 30, 2022
Dear Children First Family,
We hope this communication finds you and your loved ones safe and well. In accordance with Sarasota County School District’s announcement today, Children First will continue to be closed through Monday, October 3 and until further notice so that we can support everyone directly impacted by Hurricane [...]
March 18, 2021
Herald-Tribune: Children First announces $1 million plus matching gift challenge for Sarasota County
March 18, 2021 Children First is proud to announce The Challenge for Changing Lives, a $1,060,000 matching gift challenge led by Children First’s 60th Anniversary Diamond Circle members. The Diamond Circle is a dedicated group of extraordinary supporters leading the charge in advancing the mission of strengthening children and families together.
Their goal is to [...]
March 15, 2021
March 15, 2021 First, the exclusive provider of Head Start and Early Head Start services for Sarasota County, is pleased to announce its 60th Anniversary Co-Chairs and Committee members in recognition of the agency’s historic milestone of six decades of service to the community.
The 60th Anniversary Co-Chairs and Committee members are comprised of past and [...]
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 [...]
For Media Inquiries Contact:
Evan Ackerman
Communications CoordinatorPh: (941) 953-3877 ext. 1114
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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!