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Press Release: Children First Receives Over $230,000 in Grant Funding to Support Children and Families

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Children First Receives Over $230,000 in Grant Funding to Support Children and Families
 
SARASOTA, FL (June 24, 2025) – Children First, the exclusive provider of Head Start and Early Head Start services in Sarasota County, is proud to announce more than $170,000 in recent grant funding to support its mission of strengthening children and families. These generous contributions will directly benefit the agency’s comprehensive services, which include early childhood education, family strengthening, emotional and behavioral support, and health and wellness programming.
 
Key funding contributions include:
 

  • $60,000 from the McCune Family Foundation for comprehensive services
  • $30,000 from the Dr. Samir M Shafie Charitable Foundation for comprehensive services
  • $25,000 from the PNC Foundation for comprehensive services
  • $25,000 from the Jerome & Mildred Paddock Foundation for Family Strengthening services
  • $21,921 from United Way Suncoast for disaster recovery
  • $10,350 from Fifth Third Bank for scholarships
  • $10,000 from Suncoast Charities for Children, Inc. to support the Full Tummies, Flourishing Minds nutrition program
  • $10,000 from the Rotary Club of Sarasota for the Gobble and Grow Healthy Bags program
  • $9,000 from the Harold C. & Jacqueline F. Bladel Foundation for scholarships
  • $7,500 from the National Council of Jewish Women, Sarasota-Manatee for comprehensive services
  • $5,000 from Caldwell Trust Company for the Families First Institute
  • $5,000 from the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch for the Full Tummies, Flourishing Minds program
  • $5,000 from the Truist Foundation for Family Strengthening Services
  • $5,000 from the Venice Yacht Club Charitable Foundation for general support
  • $2,000 from the Plantation Community Foundation, Inc. for comprehensive services
  • $2,000 from the Sawgrass Giving Tree for general support
  • $2,000 from the MSC Foundation Inc. for comprehensive services
  • $750 from The India Benton Lesser Foundation for scholarships
 
Each year, Children First serves hundreds of economically vulnerable children and their families across Sarasota, Venice, and North Port. In addition to early childhood education, the agency offers health and wellness programs, family support services, and the Families First Institute, which provides free workshops in parenting, career readiness, and personal development.
 
About Children First:
Founded in 1961 and ranked in the top 1% out of over 1,800 Head Starts nationwide, Children First strengthens children and families by improving the quality of their lives through a comprehensive approach to development, education, health, and well-being. At multiple sites throughout Sarasota County, Children First offers full-day preschool, infant and toddler care, and nutrition and health care assistance to children ages birth to five years old from low-income families. Through Children First, the children receive the social and cognitive skills needed to enter kindergarten and elementary school on track. For more information, call (941) 953-3877 or go to childrenfirst.net.
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Press Release: Children First Receives Over $230,000 in Grant Funding to Support Children and Families

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