The Preschool Promise

09/18/2026

A hard working group at the preschool promise meeting yesterday. Everyone had a great time catching up and giving updates! Until next time preschool peeps! 🐥 📚

Center for Economic Integrity
Stefany Paredes Urias
United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona
Children's Action Alliance
Child & Family Resources
First Things First
Pima County
Child Care Resource & Referral - Arizona

08/29/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DT5wXDt4H/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Dolly Parton dreamed of inspiring a lifelong love of reading, and that dream continues to reach children right here in Southern Arizona. 💙📚

Following Dolly Parton’s passing, KVOA spoke with Monica Brinkerhoff, our Associate Vice President for Early Childhood Education, about the lasting impact of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the role United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona plays in bringing the program to local families.

Since 2012, United Way has served as a local affiliate of the Imagination Library, helping provide free, age-appropriate books delivered every month to children from birth through age five. In 2022–2023 alone, we helped send 15,479 books to 1,380 children across 11 Southern Arizona ZIP codes.

This partnership is also an example of what United Way does best: leveraging decades of trusted relationships, community expertise, and infrastructure to help every investment reach farther, serve more people, and create greater impact.

We are incredibly proud to help carry forward Dolly’s belief that every child deserves the opportunity to dream big, one book at a time. 💙

Thank you to KVOA for helping share this important piece of Dolly’s extraordinary legacy.

https://www.kvoa.com/video/dolly-partons-library-program-supports-southern-arizona-kids/video_7a555dcc-6786-592b-93ae-3f4498fcefa7.html

08/25/2026

08/14/2026

The first three years of life are the most consequential window in human development, and today, that window is unfolding alongside AI. Already embedded in toys, baby monitors and parenting apps, AI is reaching children at the exact moment that relationships, play and language are shaping the brain for life.

On September 9, ZERO TO THREE and the Center for Universal Education at Brookings will host the Generation AI Starts Early Symposium to convene some of the nation's leading researchers, technology leaders, policymakers and practitioners to explore how AI can support healthy early development while confronting the risks it poses to young children and families.

We're livestreaming this critical discussion and hope you'll join us virtually.
Register Today
Wednesday, September 9 | 9-11:45 AM EDT

https://click.connect.zerotothree.org/?qs=ABB7InYiOjEsImQiOjQ5Njd9AA0AAAAAAOq2Q1wVsIchyZGkZA7fvn_JkcxR0nwQustkjSllmsC7dM2T65cx3tT7wGd4G7zHYJPfiq-KTD6cOSfYLiCSksUtqNEDMJMxOPcNsRscyA

08/13/2026

Good Morning!
As many of you already know, late last week, the federal government released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the Head Start Program. Under the guise of efficiency, these proposed rules would eliminate most of Head Start's standards and roll back regulatory rules. If enacted, this move will further exacerbate our nation's worsening child care crisis while spelling disaster for the hundreds and thousands of children and families who rely on Head Start for care.

Advocates in Arizona are working on a response and more information is coming soon. But for now, we are partnering with the Arizona Head Start Association and others to participate in a Day of Action TODAY AUGUST 13, 2026. To join us, please click the link below to ask members of Congress to get involved to stop these harmful changes. I've also attached a social media post that we are asking our partners to share TODAY asking others to take action as well. Please feel free to share this message with all of your contacts.

06/30/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1ECkCoZd6c/?mibextid=wwXIfr

06/30/2026

Send us your story!

Whether you have dealt with the childcare system or DES or if you receive a scholarship.

Send me your story written or if you’re up for it we can schedule an audio interview for my podcast!

Your stories help elected officials and policy makers make decisions and encourage them to continue to fund early childhood education!

Share this with your friends and family!

Send us your story NOW!

In collaboration with
Children's Action Alliance
🙌🏼

The Preschool Promise
Arizona Early Childhood Alliance
Child Care Resource & Referral - Arizona
Child & Family Resources
Southern Arizona Association for the Education of Young Children
Frances McClelland Institute for Children, Youth, and Families
The Children's Museum of Tucson, Arizona

06/30/2026

Cuts threaten early education gains 😢

ERICK TREVINOArizona Republic A surge in federal pandemic aid helped A