Jen Smallwood - Thrive by 5 Giving Day

I am thrilled to support the Community Foundation’s Thrive by Five campaign! As an early educator, I have seen first-hand the difference that high-quality early learning makes in the lives of children and families.  

During their first five years of life, children’s brains grow and develop at a faster pace than at any other time in their lives, and children’s early experiences directly affect this growth for the positive or negative.  Children who have the opportunity to experience high-quality interactions both at home as well as with well-trained early learning teachers enjoy the positive effects of this stimulation on their brain.   These experiences promote increased self-regulation (necessary for impulse control), a higher level of social-emotional development (necessary for interpersonal relationships and communication), as well as a stronger skill set for school readiness.  

Children who miss out on these experiences in early childhood feel the effects of this missed opportunity for their entire lives.  Further, affordable, high quality early learning programs allow families to make economic strides that betters our entire community.  

About the Thrive by  Five Campaign:
Funding will be used to increase access to high-quality education for at-risk children and low-income families, improve quality of programs, cultivate family engagement and community partnerships, develop training opportunities for educators, and provide required community matching funds for On My Way Pre-K students. Learn more about the Thrive by Five Campaign.