With a mission to strengthen children and families by utilizing a comprehensive approach to development, health and well-being to improve the quality of their lives, Children First continues to make a difference in the Sarasota area.
Children First, located at 1723 N. Orange Ave., has 15 locations across Sarasota County with an annual revenue of $13,978,907, offers services to eligible families at little or no cost, and Evan Ackerman, associate director of communications of Children First, noted that 89% of the families it serves fall at or below the federal poverty level. Its Head Start program is ranked among the top 1% of Head Start programs nationwide, and as a 4-time Head Start Program of Excellence, it is one of 10 Head Start programs to receive that level of recognition, and just one of two to earn that designation four years in a row.
Top Workplaces 2022 Spotlight:Neal Communities develops blueprint for employee satisfaction
Top Workplaces 2022 Spotlight:Taylor Morrison strives to empower team members
Top Workplaces 2022 Spotlight:At J2 Solutions, family matters
Top Workplaces:Nominate an organization for Sarasota Herald-Tribune's Top Workplaces
“From every mission-based governance decision, to making sure our mission is clear to people applying to work here, mission drives everything we do,” Ackerman said. “We have designed every position and developed every policy at Children First to support the mission.”
Ackerman added that by instituting best practices and having a high degree of accountability, each employee has the opportunity to be extraordinarily successful and feel a tremendous sense of gratification as a part of the Children First family.
“We are also the best place to work because we invest heavily in providing high-quality training and education for our staff through agency initiatives such as tuition assistance,” he added.
Moreover, by putting a focus on professional growth and achievement, Ackerman said the Children First staff often find themselves accomplishing goals they may never have thought possible.
Top Workplaces 2022 Spotlight:YMCA of Southwest Florida offers strong work environment
Top Workplaces 2022 Spotlight:The Florida Center for Early Childhood offers lifeline for children
Top Workplaces 2022 Spotlight:NetReputation a top place to work in Sarasota
“This contributes greatly to both professional and personal satisfaction,” Ackerman said. “Children First also provides career opportunities to parents as a pathway to self-sufficiency and actively recruits from the population we serve, working in partnership with organizations such as the Sarasota Housing Authority.”
Ackerman noted that Children First is an equal opportunity employer, and health benefits are offered to all full-time employees, and staff are eligible for enrollment 30 days after hire. Children First staff also receive a childcare discount of 75% off, paying only 25% of the overall cost while their children are enrolled in the highest-quality program available.
According to Ackerman, the agency continues to upgrade programs and offers. During the past year, Children First has instituted its Families First Institute (FFI), an award-winning, family-focused initiative that strengthens the most economically vulnerable families.
Ackerman also noted that in 2019, Children First received a six-year, $1,251,000 grant from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation to bolster the agency’s Family Strengthening services. This expansion allowed for the hiring of new Vocational Family Advocates (VFA’s), whose goal is to advance the economic mobility of parents with children enrolled in the Institute. Parents have new opportunities to receive workforce training, education and obtain employment.
Looking forward, Ackerman said the agency is poised to continue its growth.
Top Workplaces 2022 Spotlight:Thrive focuses on doing the right thing for customers
Top Workplaces 2022 Spotlight:Culture a draw for workers at IAT Insurance Group
Top Workplaces 2022 Spotlight:Certified Collectibles Group is rooted in complete independence, objectivity
“We are cautiously optimistic that through our recruitment and retention efforts, and the fact that we are a top workplace in Sarasota-Manatee, we will see increased hiring of high-quality, eligible staff, therefore reducing the number of open positions,” Ackerman said.
The agency added 44 new employees over the last year, and hopes to add another 28 employees over the next two quarters, according to Ackerman, and in the wake of the pandemic, the agency continues to focus on its proven hiring processes.
“While we have encountered this problem, our recruitment and vetting process is such that, once hired, it appears that our retention rate is relatively high,” Ackerman said. “By telling employees a significant amount about what they can expect to encounter and what our expectations are, we minimize much of the retention issue.