HISTORY

Every child should have the opportunity to succeed in school and in life. This fundamental principle has brought together people from all walks of life and led to the creation of First Steps.

For most of the last decade, the Kent County community has been working to coordinate and improve support services for children age 0-5 and their families.

The work began in earnest in 2001, when the Early Childhood Committee was formed. The following year, Kent County was awarded a federal grant to begin developing a network of early childhood services. In 2004 “Connections for Children, Kent County’s Early Childhood Plan” was published.  “Connections for Children” provided the framework for First Steps.

First Steps now has two governance groups: the Early Childhood Children’s Commission and the Great Start Collaborative of Kent County. The Commission was formed in 2005, bringing together a group of community leaders in the fields of business, education, healthcare, child advocacy and philanthropy.

The Great Start Collaborative of Kent County—part of Michigan’s Great Start system—is a group of parents, service providers, educators and policy makers.  Kent County was awarded one of the initial “Great Start Collaborative” grants in 2006.

The Commission and the Collaborative—as well as hundreds of other committed community members—are working together to ensure that every child in Kent County really does have the opportunity to succeed in school and in life.