Left: Community Foundation Tampa Bay CEO Marlene Spalten; Right: Dr. Bilan Joseph, Director of Thrive by Five Pinellas. Photos by Brian Brakebill
Thrive By Five Pinellas: Because Every Child Deserves Equal Access to Every Opportunity for Success By Tina Stewart Brakebill A recent state report shows that, based on entry assessments, fewer than 60 percent of Pinellas County children are adequately prepared to begin kindergarten. The local nonprofit Thrive By Five Pinellas is committed to changing that statistic: “We don’t think that’s acceptable, and you shouldn’t, either.”
Building a Strong Foundation Numerous studies demonstrate that the years between birth and age 5 are the most critical time for brain development, as well as a crucial time span for building the foundation for skilled thinking, behaving, and emotional well-being. Building that foundation requires a strong early-childhood system that helps to ensure that children are “ready to thrive in school — cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally — by the time they reach kindergarten.” Thrive By Five Pinellas is focused on “creating, connecting and
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supporting community resources for healthy development and kindergarten readiness for children under age 5.” By 2026, they hope to lift the “ready” number from 60 percent to 90 percent. A strong foundation can reduce future challenges and open greater opportunities for successful lives, especially for children in lowincome and underserved communities. Dr. Bilan Joseph, director of Thrive By Five Pinellas, explains that it also makes “dollars and sense” to help prepare children for a better future because their success levels affect the entire community.
Collective Impact Founded in 2017, Thrive by Five Pinellas uses that collective impact approach to bring together a diverse set of community partners dedicated to a common vision: “ensure an equitable, accessible, responsive and accountable early childhood system that will increase
