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First Things First presents early‑childhood programs, scholarships and local grants to council
Summary
Representatives of First Things First described state‑funded early childhood programs serving La Paz and Mohave regions, including grants to six local childcare centers, scholarships for families and a June 8 conference honoring early childhood credential recipients.
Representatives of First Things First, a state‑funded early childhood organization, addressed the Lake Havasu City Council on May 28 to summarize programs that support children from birth to age 5 in the La Paz‑Mohave region.
Erin Taylor, community outreach coordinator, said First Things First "provides funding to programs that serve little ones ages birth to 5" and described a budget for the region of about $3.43 million for the past year. She said the organization awards competitive grants focused on health, early learning and family support and that six local childcare centers participate in the group's Quality First program, which provides financial incentives to centers improving care.
Taylor described scholarships for families to help defray child‑care costs, and a professional‑development program that funds coursework for early‑childhood professionals working toward the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. She said the CDA program requires 120 hours of coursework, testing and assessment and that more than a dozen local early‑childhood professionals earn the credential each year; she invited the mayor and council to attend a recognition event and conference on Saturday, June 8, at the aquatic center.
The presentation closed with free children's books distributed to council members and a request that council members remember the First Things First name when constituents seek resources for young children.
