To make a gift in support of the Changemaker Collective, please visit

As children and families are disproportionately affected by the ongoing childcare crisis, Children First is continuing its forward progress of enhancing and expanding comprehensive services for those most vulnerable in our community. As the exclusive provider of Head Start and Early Head Start services for Sarasota County, Children First is proud to announce a $600,000 matching gift challenge led by its Changemaker Collective. The Changemaker Collective is an initiative for leaders who go above and beyond in serving our community and wish to make an investment in the tools children and families need to achieve their full potential. All collective support will be matched 1:1 with an overall goal to raise $1.2MM. The key philanthropists comprising the Collective include: Anonymous, Stephanie & Allen Hochfelder, Joan & Dr. Bart Levenson, Katherine & Frank Martucci, Keith Monda & Veronica Brady, Gaye & Jack Schwarz, Joe & Nora Stephan, Karen Solem, and the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. At 15 sites across North Port, Sarasota, and Venice, Children First provides comprehensive services to hundreds of economically vulnerable children, ages birth to five, and their families each year. Comprehensive services include early childhood education, nutrition, emotional and behavioral support, and family strengthening services.

“Joining the Collective is an investment in the tools children and families need to achieve their full potential,” says Vice President of Philanthropy Jessica Rogers. “Whether you want to support the qualified teachers who offer stable and supportive relationships, provide safe classrooms for children to enjoy rich learning experiences, fill hungry tummies with nutritious meals and provide a variety of health services, or strengthen the entire family to ensure overall well-being, it is critical that we continue to support our community’s most vulnerable.”

To make a gift in support of the Changemaker Collective, please visit