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Preschool teacher standing in front of small children in a colorful classroom with the alphabet and white board on the wall.

Growing the early childhood table in eastern Arizona

  • Graham/Greenlee

FTF’s Shari Elkins works with community partners in the region to spread the same message: School readiness equals workforce readiness.
Backyard playground area with turf and playground equipment.

Safford child care center improves security and doubles outdoor space with grant

  • Quality First

A funding opportunity was made possible by an Arizona Child Care Infrastructure Grant to support child care providers.

Family resource centers provide family supports that are key to child safety and well-being

Family resource centers normalize the concept that families need support and are the perfect climate to help prevent child abuse and neglect.
Headshots of two women

Celebrate the young child through efforts to advance support for early care and learning

  • AZ communities

The week runs April 6-12 and is an annual nationwide celebration that focuses attention on early learning and its educators.
Three preschool-aged children around a small table playing with blocks. One child is sitting with an adult, who is helping him.

Free northern Arizona preschool program elevates quality and affordability for families

  • child care

 The preschool program is currently funded through 11 grants from a combination of partners, along with federal pandemic relief funding.
boy in graduation cap with family behind him

Helping Arizonans understand the starting lines of kindergarten

  • AZ communities

Chad Gestson wants to help Arizona’s influential leaders understand why early childhood education is essential to the economy.
A backyard playground with a playhouse, artificial turf, slide and play tunnel.

Tucson home care provider expands her capacity to care for more children

  • child care

Home-based child care providers, like Camila’s Playhouse, are a home away from home where children are treated as members of the family.
FTF CEO Melinda Morrison Gulick stands at a podium speaking at the United Way breakfast event.

Tucson business and education community show up in a big way for early childhood at awards breakfast

  • early childhood

The breakfast, Early Education is Everyone’s Business, brought together more than 600 business leaders and educators to champion the cause.

Prescott Valley child care director reimagines outdoor learning space through infrastructure grant

  • child care

Arizona child care providers received nearly $60 million to improve their facilities increasing access to early childhood learning spaces.

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