First Things First partners with families and communities to help our state’s youngest children prepare for kindergarten and beyond.
Many young children in Arizona face challenges that threaten their healthy development and learning. In the Northwest Maricopa Region, there are 55,078 children (under age 6) with 22% living in poverty.
Here is how FTF is working to support young children and their families in this region.
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“Quality child care is critical to ensuring families can work and that our children are safe and prepared for kindergarten. We want to ensure that funding continues to flow to child care programs and services in our region, so they remain accessible to the greatest extent possible.” Erin Hart |
Northwest Maricopa Regional Key Impact Highlights
[Fiscal Year 2020]
10,248 Families of newborns received the Arizona Parent Kit, filled with tips and tools to help support their child’s healthy development.
3,980 Families or caregivers served by receiving referrals or by participating in activities at family resource centers.
6,853 Children attended preschools and child care programs participating in Quality First.
1,058 Children birth to age 5 received a Quality First scholarship to attend high-quality preschools and child care programs.
1,483 Fluoride varnishes applied to protect against childhood tooth decay.
297 Children monitored to receive appropriate screenings to detect vision, hearing and developmental issues to prevent learning challenges later on.
2,530 Children received a screening to detect tooth decay, which left undetected and untreated could cause damage to permanent teeth, impair speech development and failure to thrive.
156 Early childhood educators received college scholarships to improve their qualifications for working with infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
Northwest Maricopa Family Story
Home visitation program helps new mom care for infant son in Wickenburg
Joyce Rodriguez first heard about home visitation when her son Jayden was a baby.
“I found out through my sister, who saw a flyer at Glendale Community College,” Rodriguez said. “I thought he’s too little. Why would I put him in that?”
The home visitation program that her sister was telling Rodriguez about was through Child and Family Resources. One of their programs provides a parent coach to meet with families of young children to provide voluntary, no-cost, in-home support to families.
Read moreFTF Northwest Maricopa Regional Partnership Council
SFY20 Total Regional Program Expenditures
The FTF Northwest Maricopa Regional Partnership Council is made up of volunteers who study the unique needs of the local community and decide how funds should be used to best support the healthy development and early learning of young children birth to age 5. FTF invests in proven programs and innovative strategies through grants to community organizations that provide services to children and families.
| Quality Child Care and Preschool | $6,413,204 | 60% |
| Strengthening Families | $2,372,972 | 20% |
| Preventive Health | $1,383,312 | 12% |
| Research and Evaluation | $299,406 | 3% |
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Parent and Community Awareness |
$156,425 | 2% |
| Workforce Development and Training | $151,039 | 2% |
| Coordinating Care | $54,219 | 1% |
| TOTAL |
$10,830,576 |
The FTF Northwest Maricopa Region lies entirely in Maricopa County and is densely populated in the east, but very sparsely populated in the west. It includes: six incorporated cities and towns — Peoria, El Mirage, Glendale, Surprise, Wickenburg and Youngtown; several unincorporated places — Aguila, Morristown, Sun City, Sun City West, Waddell and Wittmann; as well as small parts of the city of Phoenix. The FTF Northwest Maricopa Region includes Legislative districts 13, 15, 20, 21, 22, 29 and 30. (Legislative districts are not necessarily congruent with regional boundaries.)