Who We Are

First 5 Alameda County helps young children grow up healthy and ready to learn during the most important time in their development. We have more than two decades of experience funding innovative programs and advocating for policies that produce better futures for our children.   

First 5 Alameda County is an innovative public entity created by passage of Proposition 10 in 1998 which added fifty cents per pack of cigarettes to help fund early care and education for children 0-5. 

 

Our Vision

Every child in Alameda County will have optimal health, development and well-being to reach their greatest potential. 

 

Our Mission

In partnership with the community, we support a county-wide continuous prevention and early intervention system that promotes optimal health and development, narrows disparities and improves the lives of children from birth to age five and their families. 

About Us 

 

Contact Us 

 

Commission 

 

   

Our Leadership 

 

Strategic Plans 

 

   

 

Our Strategies 

Every California county has a unique set of services funded by Proposition 10 to improve early childhood development. In Alameda County, we focus on two major benchmarks:   

1) children are ready for kindergarten and can later achieve success in the third grade; and  

2) children are free from abuse and neglect. 

We promote the health and well-being of children 0-5 and their families by: 

Supporting children through a broad network of agencies and community organizations to provide early childhood services that enable children to begin school healthy, ready and able to learn, and emotionally well-developed.  

Strengthening families by providing a variety of supports for families that enhance resilience and well-being, such as connecting families to resources and strengthening parenting knowledge and skills. 

Supporting professionals through offering access to up-to-date information, creating opportunities to develop new skills and competencies, and fostering networking so that early childhood service providers can support one another.  

Advocating and communicating to affect policy by promoting, communicating about and advocating for policies that affect the health and well-being of children during their most critical years of development. 

In order to reach these benchmarks and accomplish our goals, First 5 Alameda County has formulated nine strategies designed to build on our work since 1999 on behalf of young children, take advantage of emerging opportunities, and align our work with significant regional, state and federal initiatives. 

 

Our Current Strategies 

 

Home Visiting/Family Support 

 

Healthy Child Development Initiative 

 

Quality Early Care & Education 

 

School Readiness Initiative 

 

Place-Based Initiatives 

 

Training 

 

Grants for Community Supports 

 

Evaluation & Tecnhology 

 

Policy, Advocacy & Communication 

 

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