Children First Unveils New Playground in Venice

November 19, 2024 | Sarasota

Children First celebrated the ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newly renovated Head Start playground at the agency’s Venice campus, made possible by Suncoast Charities for Children through the generosity of the James M. Doss Charitable Foundation.

The renovated playground now features upgraded equipment and safer surfacing, creating a more engaging environment for outdoor play and learning. Designed to support Children First’s commitment to high-quality early childhood education, these improvements foster active learning and help build physical, cognitive, and interpersonal skills that lay the foundation for future success in school and beyond.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Suncoast Charities for Children and the James M. Doss Charitable Foundation for their remarkable support in transforming our playground,” said Philip Tavill, CEO of Children First. “Physical activity is essential to all areas of early learning, and outdoor play holds particular importance for children facing challenging circumstances.”

As Sarasota County’s exclusive provider of Head Start and Early Head Start services, Children First serves nearly 1,100 individuals each day across multiple sites in Sarasota, Venice, and North Port. Recognized in the top 1% of over 1,800 programs nationwide, the agency is a four-time designated Head Start Program of Excellence, demonstrating a commitment to excellence in early childhood education and family strengthening.

“We are extremely proud to allocate funding to Children First for this project, knowing the positive impact it will have on current and future generations of preschool students for years to come,” said Lucy Nicandri, Executive Director of Suncoast Charities for Children.