News And Announcements Index

Nearly 3,300 more students would graduate from high school each year and almost 10,000 fewer criminal charges would be filed against juveniles if all 4-year-olds in LA County were given the chance to attend a quality half-day preschool program.

Christmas came early to nearly 1,000 low-income children and families Saturday, when First 5 LA and the Children's Bureau hosted a holiday celebration and toy giveaway.

When 4-year-old Amelia noticed that she couldn't walk like most of her friends, she asked her mother why.

As director of California local government affairs for BP, Commissioner Rezvani serves on numerous boards.

In this joyous season of celebration and giving, I want to acknowledge the tremendous contributions of First 5 LA partners, grantees, friends, and staff during this past year.

First 5 LA and Children's Bureau Holiday Celebration where nearly 1,000 children and families from low-income families will receive an early visit from Santa at one of the largest holiday toy giveaways in LA.

First 5 LA, the largest local funder of children's health insurance in Los Angeles County, last Thursday joined a coalition of health care funders and advocates in calling for state officials to create permanent, long-term policy solutions to provide health coverage for the more than 800,000 uninsured children in California.

More young children in LA County have access to free or low-cost health insurance, quality preschool, and other early learning programs than ever before.

Whenever her 3-year old Alyssa was near a body of water, Michelle Ochoa of Bellflower would be worried about her daughter falling in and drowning.

Karen Hill-Scott is a nationally-recognized child development expert who specializes in early education and children's TV programming.

The holiday season can be so busy that we don't have much time to spend with our children.  This holiday, give the gift of learning to a child by spending precious time in creative, stimulating, and productive activities

More than 100 representatives of First 5 LA grantees that provide School Readiness, Family Literacy and Community Development programs participated in a one-day networking and information-sharing workshop.

Moradhi, 18 months and Mozart, 3, went to college recently. They were accom-panied by their parents Jorge and Lourdes Casas, for whom the visit to UCLA was a first, too.

Michael L. López is a nationally-recognized early childhood research consultant, working with First 5 LA on the development and implementation of a long-term research and evaluation plan for the Universal Preschool Initiative.

With the arrival of the holiday season, I want to remind all of Santa's helpers of the importance of selecting safe toys for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

Los Angeles, CA – The case last Saturday of a newborn baby turned over to doctors and nurses at a hospital emergency room in Newhall highlights the importance of California's Safely Surrendered Baby Law, which allows parents in dire situations to give up their babies confidentially without fear of prosecution.

First 5 LA recently reached out to the Korean American community to pro-mote Healthy Kids and other free or low-cost health insurance programs.

Cindy Oser is a nationally-known authority on the development of babies and young children.

Two years ago, Leoncia Tzompatle was a timid mother of two who could not read in English or her native Spanish.

With Thanksgiving just behind us, families are looking forward to the coming holidays.

To address the growing shortage of qualified early care and education professionals, First 5 LA has committed $15 million to a new initiative to train, mentor, and recruit caregivers and teachers.

First 5 California Chair Rob Reiner, flanked by prominent California business leaders at a news conference in San Francisco, announced last week plans to submit a million signatures to qualify the Preschool for All Act for the June 2006 ballot.

More than 100 mayors, council-members, and appointed city officials discussed how early childhood programs can yield exceptionally high returns for communities as well as taxpayers.

Elected officials, community leaders, and children's advocates celebrated the grand opening this month of the first LA County-built child care facility, the Van Nuys Civic Child Development Center.

Since 2000, First 5 LA has invested more than $800 million in early childhood initiatives for LA County's children and their families.

(LOS ANGELES)-- To address the growing shortage of qualified early care and education professionals, the First 5 LA Commission last Thursday allocated $15 million to a new initiative to train, mentor, and recruit caregivers and teachers.

The First 5 LA Commission voted last Thursday on how to allocate $250 million in remaining funds for new initiatives and to further existing areas of focus in its five-year strategic plan.

LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina was lauded last Thursday for accomplishments during her year as chair of the First 5 LA Commission.

Commissioner Harriette F. Williams has more than 40 years of professional experience in various positions within the LA Unified School District.