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First 5 LA believes that the first five years of life establish the foundation for the future success of our children.

Our organization has served as a catalyst in bringing communities together and uniting organizations, businesses, and schools to provide resources and services for families and their children.

First 5 LA appreciates the passion and dedication of our Commissioners, partners, and grantees. We wish to thank everyone who has contributed to helping improve the lives of children and families throughout Los Angeles County.

First 5 LA
Champions for Our Children

Our Mission
First 5 LA's mission is to increase the number of Los Angeles County children ages 0 to 5 who are physically and emotionally healthy, ready to learn, and safe from harm.

We were established in 1998 after California voters approved Proposition 10, an effort to fund health, safety and early education programs for children prenatal to age 5 through revenue from tax on tobacco products. A local First 5 commission was created in each of the state's 58 counties to administer Proposition 10 funds, which are allocated based on each county's birth rate.

By investing more than one billion dollars from tobacco tax revenues in the last 12 years, First 5 LA has turned a negative habit into positive programs that benefit L.A. County's youngest kids. Our five core values - families, communities, results, learning and advocacy - guide us in building public support for targeted programs that address the needs of young children and their families.

Our Strategy
We serve as a grantmaker, community partner, trendsetter, change agent, facilitator, founder and catalyst. First 5 LA is committed to the well-being of children in our diverse communities. The First 5 LA 2009-2015 Strategic Plan (pdf) serves as a roadmap in helping us make a positive and lasting impact on expectant parents and children ages 0 to 5.

How We're Accountable
Four measurable goals enable us to define the long-term outcomes we want to see for L.A. County's children. We look at facts and figures on healthy births and childhood weight, school readiness and safety to gauge the success of our efforts. We invite you to view our Change Dashboard to learn more about how children and families benefit from First 5 LA's service to the community.

Our Leadership