FIRST 5 proudly announces our new HIGH 5 Partner Appreciation Award for outstanding contributions by a FIRST 5 Santa Clara County grantee, partner or partnership.

Recipients further FIRST 5’s mission by performing above and beyond contractual obligations, active promotion and implementation of FIRST 5’s monthly thematic campaigns, and effective leveraging of FIRST 5 time, talent &/or funding.

Recipients are presented with a plaque in their honor at our FIRST 5 Commission meetings.

HIGH 5 Partner Appreciation Award Recipients

Q4 2009 HIGH 5 Award Winner:

The VMC Foundation in partnership with Law Foundation of Silicon Valley Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic

The VMC Foundation partners with Law Foundation Silicon Valley Legal Advocates for Children and Youth to provide free and confidential legal services to children 0-5 and their families who are receiving medical care at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center or its clinics through the project Silicon Valley Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic (MLPC). The medical-legal partnership provides a safety net not only through well-child care, sick visits and management of chronic diseases, but also through empowering families to lead healthy and productive lives by providing free legal representation, advocacy and information, with a focus on educational empowerment, guardianship and safe housing. Congratulation to MLPC for improving the health of patients and families since January 2009!



Q3 2009 Award Winner:

The Let's Go! Let's Grow! Public Health Nursing Home Visitation Program

The Let's Go! Let's Grow! Public Health Nursing Home Visitation Program is a unique program that provides home visitation services to medically fragile infants who have been released from the neonatal intensive care unit at Valley Medical Center. The program grew from serving 60 infants in 2006/07 to 99 in 2007/08!

In 2008/09, Public Health participated in the Family Wellness Court collaboration and served an additional 50 infants from this population. As part of FIRST 5's Prenatal to Three Initiative, Let’s Go! Let’s Grow also provides home visitation services to approximately 25 infants referred from the Infant Neuro Developmental Clinic. Congratulations to County Public Health and the Let’s Go! Let’s Grow! Program for a job well done serving the most fragile infants in our county.



Q2 Award Winner:

San Jose Unified School District Partnership

SJUSD collaborative provides unique programming, serves as leadership to the LAOT team and demonstrates creative leveraging of FIRST 5 funds. By partnering with the Stepping Stones program, funded by the Knight Foundation, the collaborative was able to better serve bi-lingual families who were on the Family Partners wait list. A pilot program called Mother’s Support and Child Art Therapy Group successfully brought children and their parents together, using art to open up dialogue within the family. Congratulations to the San Jose Unified School District Partnership for a job well done!



March 2009:

City of San Jose Strong Neighborhoods Initiative Group

The Strong Neighborhoods Initiative staff with the City of San Jose (Jose Villarreal and Greg Cajina), have been instrumental in participating in the vision to provide access to programs and services provided through Go Kid’s FIRST 5 grant. They share in the FIRST 5 core values and strive to meet the ever changing needs of the community. Jose and Greg have a "do whatever it takes" attitude to create transformational change in their respective areas of the South East region. Way To Go!



February 2009:

Alum Rock Partnership

The Alum Rock partnership reflects model leadership and teamwork in their approach to serving children 0-5 and their families. Their shared sense of partnership and dedication to children and families is consistently evident. While MACSA is the Lead in this region, responsibilities are taken on by all without hesitation. It is the work and dedication of all the partners that makes the Alum Rock region strong. Well Done!



January 2009:

Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities is a Passionate advocate for the families they serve! They consistently exceed their FIRST 5 contract goals supporting two Family Resource Centers, increasing parent participation in their community partnership and offering a myriad of services for families including free tax preparation and financial education services in multiple languages. Congratulations!



December 2008:

Eastern European Service Agency

EESA and ACHI execute FIRST 5’s monthly themes on a consistent basis while serving the Eastern European and African communities. They have developed a calendar to match FIRST 5’s monthly themes which provides an outline for how the themes will be incorporated into their ongoing programming, including parent workshops, community center activities, radio shows, website, and newsletter. Congratulations to EESA and ACHI for your service to the Eastern European and African communities. We applaud your creativity!



African Community Health Institute

November 2008:

Franklin McKinley Partnership

This Partnership seeks out community needs and goes above and beyond their contractual obligations to service the community. They incorporate the monthly themes established by FIRST 5 into many activities. Leveraging FIRST 5’s November theme: Positive Cultural Identity, the Partnership planned a Cultural Diversity Festival which took place in November for FIRST 5 families. More than 60 families attended this event and over fourteen agencies participated. Congratulations to all grantees in the Partnership. We applaud your efforts to serve the families in our community.