FTF in the News

KTAR - How Arizona’s decline in cigarette smoking is costly to its early childhood education agency

February 19, 2026

Arizonans are taking better care of their lungs but harming early childhood education funding in the process. This is because Arizona’s early childhood agency is reliant on tobacco taxes. Read More

Arizona Capitol Times – Investments in early childhood education reflect bipartisan support…

7/16/2025

Arizona Capitol TimesSteven Lynn, Guest Commentary As the chair of First Things First (FTF), Arizona’s only dedicated funding source for early childhood…

Gulick eager to lead Arizona’s early childhood agency

3/21/2022

First Things First has welcomed seasoned business leader and education advocate Melinda Morrison Gulick as the organization’s new CEO.

hand hold cellphone with AZ Healthy Child Care Helpline 602-506-6767

First Things First awarded $200,000 grant from PNC Foundation to help child care centers address…

1/15/2021

The grant has allowed the creation of the AZ Healthy Child Care Helpline for child care centers and home-based child care providers.

Finding quality child care for your young child

9/6/2018

For the majority of Arizona families, all the adults in the home work outside the home. That leaves many parents with young children with an important decision…

Using technology to advance toddler and preschooler learning

7/6/2018

For families of babies, toddlers and preschoolers, saying no screen time is easier said than done. But technology isn’t going away and neither is the desire…

Help young kids stay safe around water this summer

6/19/2018

First Things First encourages all adults to play a role in watching young children around water and helping them stay safe this summer.

Summer can be ideal time to prepare your child for kindergarten

5/10/2018

ARIZONA (May 2018) – The months leading up to the first day of kindergarten can be an ideal time to prepare your child for what to expect. Many kindergarten…

AZ kids less likely to get screenings

1/25/2018

Efforts Underway to Increase Screening Rates and Connect Families to ResourcesPHOENIX (January 25, 2018) – A brief produced by First Things First shows…

Report Highlights Challenges of State’s Youngest Children

1/22/2018

All Arizonans Urged to Do More to Support Health, Education ImprovementsPHOENIX – (January 22, 2018) – Almost 1 in 3 young children in Arizona live in…

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