FIRST THINGS FIRST

Meet Sherie Gifford, the 2024 FIRST THINGS FIRST Yavapai Champion for Young Children. With a career dedicated to making a difference in the lives of young children and their families, Sherie’s impact spans decades—from child protective services to leading systemic change in Yavapai County's early childhood programs. Her passion for early childhood advocacy is fueled by the belief that the first five years lay the foundation for a lifetime of success. Sherie reminds us that it takes all of us—parents, providers, policymakers, and community members—to support children during this critical time. Read more about Sherie's journey and her inspiring message for anyone looking to make a difference in the lives of young children: https://lnkd.in/g2xXQePd #FTFYavapaiRegion

Pinal County faces a severe child care shortage, with 71.5% of the care needed currently unavailable. This gap is pushing families to leave the county for work and creating challenges for businesses aiming to attract and retain talent. Read the Maricopa Monitor article below. ? Last week at a Pinal County Board of Supervisors meeting, leaders highlighted the urgent need for solutions: - The annual cost of infant care in Pinal exceeds $10,600, making it unattainable for most families. - Staffing challenges due to low wages are forcing programs to shut down. - Without public funding and systemic changes, the gap will only grow as the population increases. But there’s hope. Across Arizona, counties like Pima have successfully leveraged funding to provide scholarships for qualifying preschoolers. Businesses are stepping up, recognizing the role of child care in workforce stability. FIRST THINGS FIRST is working to address these challenges and advocate for meaningful investments in early childhood programs that benefit all Arizona families. #ChildCareCrisisAZ #FTFPinalRegion

In the #FTFYavapaiRegion, Regional Director Lisa Blyth, MA, LPC worked with the FTF Yavapai Regional Partnership Council and community partners to improve collaboration among system partners in children's health. A recently awarded Vitalyst Health Foundation grant is expected to expand the systems change work that the regional council has been funding over the past years. What does this mean for young children and families? As more health care and community-based organizations begin using Arizona's closed loop referral system, CommunityCares, the natural result is that families will experience easier access to the resources they need. Read about the work happening in the #FTFYavapaiRegion here: https://lnkd.in/gV8t4g_p

We are beyond honored to share that First Things First received the North Star Award at this year’s An InspirED Evening event! This recognition underscores our dedication to equipping Arizona's youngest children with the tools they need to succeed in school and in life. We know that quality early learning directly influences postsecondary attainment and builds strong communities. Congratulations to fellow North Star Award recipients, ElevateEdAZ and Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. (CPLC)! ?? We're proud to join you in making a lasting difference in our communities. Thank you, Education Forward Arizona, for championing our shared vision for Arizona’s future.

? We’re honored to receive a North Star Award from Education Forward Arizona, recognizing our commitment to advancing education in Arizona. As our CFO, Josh Allen so powerfully put it: “As a financial person, I understand the value of return on investment, and we’re investing in our children and our future. That means I don’t have to invest in remedial care or prisons in the same way. Instead, we benefit from a well-educated workforce, citizens engaged in and giving back to their communities.” - Josh Allen, FTF Chief Financial Officer Arizona's future begins with quality early childhood experiences, and this award from Education Forward Arizona reinforces the impact of our work in the earliest years. Together, we’re building a better Arizona for generations to come. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gzXk2vAJ

First Things First is committed to working in collaboration with tribes in Arizona to ensure that young children entering school in tribal communities are healthy and ready to succeed. As we celebrate Native American Heritage Month in November, we'll have free panel sessions throughout the month to encourage dialogue and shared knowledge about practicing cultural humility, learning about the tribal court system, addressing systemic barriers and incorporating an Indigenous lens into your work. Register here: https://lnkd.in/g-ycnfHZ #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth #AZFTF

KGUN 9 recently featured FIRST THINGS FIRST Regional Director, Melissa Avant, who helped unite community leaders in the #FTFCochiseRegion to discuss solutions for sustainable, affordable, accessible child care and early education at the Early Childhood Summit. With over 10,000 children under 5 and only 3,000 licensed child care spots in the region, the Cochise Regional Partnership Council is dedicated to finding solutions that support families and strengthen our community. “The biggest concern is really having programs and services for children, birth through 5, as they go into the K through 12 system," said Avant. "If they don't receive the services that they need, it becomes a bigger problem in the K through 12 system, and later on in life.” Watch the news clip here: https://lnkd.in/ghFCZWVe #ChildCareCrisisAZ #AZFTF

Read the Arizona Capitol Times op-ed from FIRST THINGS FIRST Senior Director of Government Affairs, Joe Barba, at the link below. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes' recent ruling shines a light on the importance of child care in the professional lives of Arizonans. Mayes wrote, “Arizona’s campaign finance law permits the use of privately raised campaign funds for dependent care if, and only if, the expenses are for the purpose of enabling the candidate or other person to perform campaign activities.” While the ruling is specific to campaign activities, it's a step in the right direction toward acknowledging that families need accessible, affordable and quality child care to participate in the workforce. Investing in child care is investing in Arizona's future.

KOLD 13 News featured First Things First Senior Regional Director Jessica Harrington yesterday, raising solutions for the child care crisis affecting Arizona families and workforce development. Across the state, businesses are feeling the impact of employees unable to find affordable child care—costing Arizona over $950 million annually in lost productivity. It stems from a lack of accessible, affordable child care. “Child care isn’t just a family’s issue, but we all have a role to play in Arizona, and our business leaders have the opportunity to explore what fits best for them and their business practices in supporting a workforce," Harrington said. Employers can help families with child care challenges by creating family-friendly policies, such as supporting back-up child care options and being aware of policies impacting young children and their families. Watch the feature here: https://lnkd.in/g-nZCN3P

Child care now costs 39.4% more than rent across 100 of the largest US metros, according to a recent Lending Tree report. This was true for the average monthly cost of full-time center-based child care for two children, which is estimated at $2,182. Families shouldn't have to decide between paying for quality child care and housing or tuition—creating child care solutions is more important than ever. First Things First is working with partners, business and community leaders statewide to make the case for early childhood investments. Learn how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/dqHw9XJ3