Stories and Profiles
“This has made a huge difference in my daughter’s life.”
We were so fortunate to be able to have CARD’s Kate Gutshall, Emily Barba and Rob Davison work with our daughter. They managed to accomplish in fifteen hours what eight other therapists, over the course of two years, failed to do. Read more…
“Without First Things First, we’d probably be on welfare.”
When Arizona’s housing industry crashed, so did KJ’s life. “We lost our home; the car was re-possessed.” Fortunately, KJ was able to find a job, but at 1/3 her previous salary. The question became: who would care for 4-year-old T while she worked? Read more …
“We’re creating peaceful, joyful moments around books to encourage reading and learning,”
In an effort to improve reading skills of young children, a multi-year project called “The Raising A Reader Initiative” has been launched in Phoenix. The program targets children five years of age and younger who live in multi-family communities. It’s designed to help children develop the skills needed to be a successful reader. Read more…
The preventive measures help young children avoid dental decay later in life.
Nogales, Arizona – Children in Santa Cruz County have a new reason to smile. The Mariposa Community Health Center in Nogales has launched a program called Project Happy Smile/Proyecto Sonrisa Feliz.
The program offers an oral health screening and fluoride varnish application by a registered dental hygienist. The free service is available to all children through age 5 at community sites in Santa Cruz County. Read more…
Parents in the area will soon have new options for their children.
Green Valley, Arizona – Despite being a retirement community, Green Valley is experiencing a growth in demand for child care services. Parents in the area will soon have new options for their children. Read more…
“(FTF) is a new model of what is possible when people come together … to make a difference for young children.”
In May 2009, Arizona was awarded the Most Promising State for Young Children Award at the National Smart Start Conference. The award was accepted by Nadine Mathis Basha, Chair of First Things First. Read more…
“With support from (FTF), we are able to … keep stressful situations from escalating to the point that CPS gets called.”
When Cindi Alva, program director for Child and Family Resources (CFR), started attending community meetings to introduce a home visitation program CFR was bringing to the community with support from First Things First, she was unprepared for the response she received. Read more …
“First Things First … (helped) thousands of families put food on the table.”
In Spring 2009, My Sister, My Friend – a community based social service agency in South Phoenix – was in danger of closing its food program. The site already was providing 500 food boxes per month and 370 hot meals per day to struggling families, but demand was quickly outpacing its limited resources. Read more …
“Parents know that I am not disregarding their concerns when I offer this resource.”
One of First Things First’s initiatives is to support statewide outreach through the Birth to Five Helpline. This resource, operated by Southwest Human Development, has experts available to provide the latest child development information to parents or professionals. Read more …