Santa Cruz County Votes to Establish 'Thrive by Three Fund'

From the County of Santa Cruz: At the urging of Supervisors Ryan Coonerty and Zach Friend, on January 24th, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors voted 4 to 1 to establish a “Thrive by Three Fund” to help fund effective programs serving very young children (prenatal through age three). The Board Directed CAO Susan Mauriello to dedicate $350,000 for the Thrive by Three Fund in next year’s budget.

A large group of children’s advocates including Mary Lou Goeke of United Way, Dr. Salem Magarian of Santa Cruz Community Health Centers, David Brody of First 5, and community activists Allison Guevara and Shebreh Kalantari spoke at the meeting, urging the Board to make this investment in proven programs that support babies, toddlers and families during this incredibly important time in a young child’s development.

Scientists and economists agree that the first few years of a child’s life are critical to his or her future health, education and success. Effective programs serving babies and toddlers not only provide benefits to the children served but significantly reduce public costs over the long term. Nobel Laureate in Economics James Heckman has found that high quality early childhood development programs for disadvantaged children can deliver a 13% per year return on investment through better outcomes in education, health, social behavior and employment. This kind of investment increases equity and prepares our county’s workforce for a competitive future.

Supervisor Ryan Coonerty said, “We know that with a small investment in these babies and their families, we can dramatically improve lives and reduce costs. I’m pleased that the Board directed the CAO to establish a Thrive by Three Fund that will improve the lives of at-risk babies and toddlers. These are uncertain times, but 4 babies are born into poverty in Santa Cruz County every day and we must invest in them.”

Supervisor Zach Friend said, “This is an important step toward equalizing opportunity for our youngest and most vulnerable residents. We have a long way to go, but we must step up to help at-risk babies and toddlers.”

Mary Lou Goeke, the Executive Director of United Way of Santa Cruz County, said, “It is so important to help local babies and toddlers who are in need. I am thrilled to see the County Board of Supervisors make this commitment to equity by setting aside funds for this smart, upstream approach.”

Click here and scroll to item #51 to review the Board Letter and attachments.

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