FIRST 5 Santa Clara County is proud to serve the young children and families of our county as a funder, a resource, and an advocate.
Our Vision
FIRST 5 Santa Clara County will be a catalyst for ensuring that the developmental needs of children prenatal through age 5 are a priority in all sectors of the community.
Our Mission
FIRST 5 Santa Clara County supports the healthy development of children, from prenatal through age 5, and enriches the lives of their families and communities.
OUR FOCUS AREAS
To fulfill our strategic vision and continue to positively impact children and families in our community, we added goals for financial sustainability.
- Connect families to affordable, quality supports and services that meet children’s basic needs and safety
- Engage families in our work, including advocacy and leadership opportunities
- Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at FIRST 5.
- Strengthening the diverse workforce that supports young children and their families.
OUR CORE VALUES
- Collaboration: We co-create in partnership with others, prioritize lived experience, and develop strategies that advance the well-being of families with young children.
- Inclusivity: We center diverse perspectives to ensure the representation and participation of marginalized individuals throughout our work.
- Creativity: We approach our work from a place of curiosity, joy, innovation, and openness to new ideas.
- Integrity: We are accountable for our actions and the outcomes of our work, striving for transparency with the community, our partners, and each other.
- Equity: We advocate for fair access to opportunities and seek solutions that disrupt systemic oppression, close gaps, and remove barriers that harm families with young children.
Proposition 10
The intent of the California Children and Families Act of 1998 facilitated the creation of an integrated and collaborative system of information and services to enhance optimal early childhood development and to ensure that young children, prenatal through age 5, are ready to enter school.
Why do we serve children ages 0-5?
Research shows that a child’s brain develops most dramatically during the first five years of life. During this critical period, a window of opportunity exists to help shape how a child’s brain matures. This period lays the foundation for all of the years that follow.
While the early period in children’s development is critical to their future success, it is also where public investments are lowest. FIRST 5 provides children, prenatal through age 5, with programs and services that ensure they are born and remain healthy, receive more from their education, and become productive adults.
How do we serve the community?
FIRST 5 invests millions of Proposition 10 tobacco tax dollars each year towards effective programs in early education, health, and family support. FIRST 5 is committed to achieving sustainable results toward the successful future of young children, prenatal though age 5, and their families.
FIRST 5 invests in neighborhoods where children are exposed to the greatest risk for poor developmental outcomes. Our system of care enables us to provide tailored services to young children, prenatal through age 5, and families experiencing the highest level of need. We also work toward shifting community norms and systems that affect the health and well-being of all young children in Santa Clara County.