First Things First partners with families and communities to help our state’s youngest children prepare for kindergarten and beyond.
Many young children in Arizona face challenges that threaten their healthy development and learning. In the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Region, there are 626 children (under age 6) with 61% living in poverty.
Here is how FTF is working to support young children and their families in this region.
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“There is so much value in investing in early childhood due to the brain development that takes place at an early stage in children, which we emphasize in our parenting programs in our region.” Chris McIntier |
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Regional Key Impact Highlights
[Fiscal Year 2020]
319 Books were given to families with children birth to age 5 to encourage parent-child interaction and reading.
92 Adults attended parenting classes to learn about early child care development.
4 Early childhood educators received college scholarships to improve their qualifications for working with infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Family Story
Parent education class helps multigenerational household in Scottsdale address 4-year-old’s challenging behaviors
Asa Padilla’s 4-year-old son, Azias, used to push down bookshelves in his classroom and scream in the car rides to the grocery store. He didn’t know how to manage his emotions. The more Padilla yelled at him to behave, the more Azias felt scared and his behaviors got worse.
“I am a single mom, so finding the right way to discipline him was really hard,” said Padilla. “I watched him grow in disruptive behaviors, so I wanted to learn how to parent him in a positive way that worked, instead of yelling at him.”
Read moreFTF Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Regional Partnership Council
SFY20 Total Regional Program Expenditures
The FTF Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Regional Partnership Council is made up of volunteers who study the unique needs of the local community and decide how funds should be used to best support the healthy development and early learning of young children birth to age 5. FTF invests in proven programs and innovative strategies through grants to community organizations that provide services to children and families.
| Strengthening Families | $43,346 | 59% |
| Preventive Health | $24,478 | 32% |
| Research and Evaluation | $3,442 | 4% |
| Quality Child Care and Preschool | $2,282 | 3% |
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Parent and Community Awareness |
$1,013 | 2% |
| TOTAL |
$74,560 |
The FTF Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, a sovereign tribe located 15 miles northeast of Phoenix, is one of 10 Arizona tribes that have chosen to be designated as its own First Things First region. The region has the same boundaries as the Salt River Reservation and covers about 85 square miles, entirely within Maricopa County, bordering the cities of Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa and Fountain Hills. The Community is home to the Pima (“Akimel O’Odham,” River People) and the Maricopa (“Xalychidom Pipaash,” People who live toward the water). Legislative districts include: 26. (Legislative districts are not necessarily congruent with regional boundaries.)