FIRST THINGS FIRST

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

Today’s babies, toddlers and preschoolers are our state’s generation next—the generation that in just a couple of decades will be entering the workforce and beginning their own families. Addressing early childhood needs is our best opportunity to ensure a solid foundation is set from the start. In State Fiscal Year 2024, First Things First funded programs to help parents support their child's health and learning—like family resource centers, home visitation and language and early literacy development. Decisions about which programs to fund are informed by recommendations from volunteer regional councils after thorough study of the needs in their communities. Read more about the statewide impact of FTF investments in SFY24 in our annual report: https://lnkd.in/gK8KHnsK

Recent research from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Moms First highlights what is happening in Arizona and nationally: without quality child care, working families deal with immense challenges that potentially put them out of the workforce. Quality child care is essential to employee retention and overall workforce development. 90% of employers said child care benefits boost talent recruitment and retention, as much as paid time off and health insurance. What do child care benefits look like? Stipends to help employees with rising child care costs, on or near-site child care or partnering with local providers for back-up child care options. FIRST THINGS FIRST has resources for Arizona businesses to learn about family-friendly practices employers can adopt. https://lnkd.in/dqHw9XJ3

60% of young children in Arizona live in households where all adults work—affordable, accessible child care is essential to working families. In a session with the Yuma City Council, First Things First Community Engagement Coordinator Zahid Plantillas highlighted how investing in quality child care is foundational for the workforce of today and tomorrow. Mayor Douglas Nicholls of the City of Yuma, Arizona weighed in. "Well, they really focus on our youth and their education outside of the classroom and how we, as a community, support their growth, their development because they are our future, but also they are our present." Read the KYMA article here: https://lnkd.in/gHjVGJkW

Funded by First Things First, a new family resource center (FRC) opened this week in Mesa, Arizona at the Mesa Public Library. FRCs connect families to free resources and education to create stable, nurturing environments for their children. Watch the NBC Channel 12 clip here: https://lnkd.in/gujT7JTD “The research is undeniable that the time between birth and age 5 is a critical period for brain development and family resource centers provide families with access to information, resources and services in one convenient location to support their young child’s development,” said First Things First Chief Regional Officer K. Vilay. Vilay addressed the crowd along with City of Mesa Mayor Giles, Mesa Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Andi Fourlis and Mesa Library Director Polly Bonnett. Learn about the impact of FTF-funded programs across Arizona: https://lnkd.in/gMqwCzMQ

First Things First CEO Melinda Morrison Gulick presented to the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Regional Council earlier this week. The council, which represents mayors of all the municipalities and tribal nations, discussed the economic impact of the child care crisis in Maricopa County and all of Arizona. Arizona employers lose $958 million annually due to absences and turnover—parents often miss work or leave their jobs due to child care issues. High quality child care is a smart investment for Arizona employers. With accessible, affordable, quality child care, we can support today's workforce while building the workforce of tomorrow. #AZFTF #ChildCare