Children First celebrated the ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newly renovated Head Start playground at the agency’s Venice campus, made possible by Suncoast Charities for Children through the generosity of the James M. Doss Charitable Foundation.

The renovated playground now features upgraded equipment and safer surfacing, creating a more engaging environment for outdoor play and learning. Designed to support Children First’s commitment to high-quality early childhood education, these improvements foster active learning and help build physical, cognitive, and interpersonal skills that lay the foundation for future success in school and beyond.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Suncoast Charities for Children and the James M. Doss Charitable Foundation for their remarkable support in transforming our playground,” said Philip Tavill, CEO of Children First. “Physical activity is essential to all areas of early learning, and outdoor play holds particular importance for children facing challenging circumstances."

As Sarasota County’s exclusive provider of Head Start and Early Head Start services, Children First serves nearly 1,100 individuals each day across multiple sites in Sarasota, Venice, and North Port. Recognized in the top 1% of over 1,800 programs nationwide, the agency is a four-time designated Head Start Program of Excellence, demonstrating a commitment to excellence in early childhood education and family strengthening.

“We are extremely proud to allocate funding to Children First for this project, knowing the positive impact it will have on current and future generations of preschool students for years to come,” said Lucy Nicandri, Executive Director of Suncoast Charities for Children.

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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