Oconee County First Steps works collaboratively to ensure that all children start school ready to reach their highest potential with engaged support from their parents, caregivers, and communities.
CHILDREN
RELATIONSHIPS
HIGH QUALITY
RESULTS
MORE CHILDREN ARRIVE AT KINDERGARTEN READY FOR SUCCESS
Families are supported as their child’s first and most important teachers.
Families can access and afford high quality early care and education programs that meet the needs of their children and families.
Children and families can access and afford high quality programs and services regardless of race or ethnicity.
Street, City SC 00000 | 000-000-0000 | website OR scfirststeps.org/county
135 E Main St Westminster, SC 29693 | 864-985-3342 | oconeefirststeps.org
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MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Daby Snipes, Executive Director It is almost impossible to put into words the gratitude I feel for our Community of Oconee County. As we’ve all been dealing with our changing world, our dedicated, loving, passionate community was able to come together to help meet the needs of our fellow citizens. In partnership with Save the Children South Carolina, The City of Westminster – Police Department, Fire Department, OCFS Board members, Community members and friends were able to distribute Farmers to Families Food Boxes to over 6,000 residents. We were also able to begin “The Imagination Library of Oconee County” through the Dollywood Foundation, bringing free books to all of Oconee County children under the age of 5. I look forward to continuing our work with Oconee County so that all children in our county will have everything necessary to reach their highest potential!
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR I so enjoy working with Oconee County First Steps to make a difference in the lives of our greatest resource – our children.
Kathleen S. Davis, Chair
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All children in Oconee County will have the care they need to grow and develop to their highest
potential.
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Oconee County First Steps started the Imagination Library of Oconee County in June of 2021. Our first month we registered 800 children. We provide free books to all children in Oconee County under the age of 5. We raise funds to match 25% of our cost. Contact us for more information!
Sponsor a child for just $25 a year.
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Covid 19 and Childcare Understanding and Leading Children w/Autism Spectrum Disorder Working with Parents: From Parents to Partners Math for Young Children Budgets, Projections & Planning Mindfulness
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Due to the challenges during the COVID 19 pandemic, we were able to use Palmetto Shared Services and other trainers to offer high quality on-line training for our community. Angela Ray, Program Specialist
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For many families in Oconee County, the cost of quality child care is out of reach. Our scholarship p rog ram makes p ayments to child care p roviders to care for children from low-income families so their p arents can return to school or work, b irth to ag e 4.
Our p artnership integ rates scholarship s with the T rip le P Parenting p rog ram. Oconee County First Step s offers scholarship s to fam ilies that are incom e -elig ib le children whose p arent works at least 20 hours p er week and/or attends school.
SCHOLARSHIPS BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021
7
number of children served
1
number of providers served
12
number of developmental screenings provided
100% of the money paid to child care providers goes back into our local economy to benefit the citizens of Oconee County.
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FIRST STEPS 4K IN OCONEE COUNTY 2020-2021
PREPARING FOR STATEWIDE EXPANSION
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With First Steps 4K, families are in the driver’s seat. They choose the program that best meets their needs. Families can enroll their child in any of the 244 private, nonprofit, or faith-based child care centers or schools participating in the program. The majority of First Steps 4K providers offer 8-hour day and year-round instruction, including summers, which is at no cost to parents.
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HEALTHY FAMILIES AMERICA Hea lthy Fa milies America (HFA) is a progra m of P revent Child Abuse America designed to support pa rents who ma y be experienci n g a ra nge of current or pa st cha llenges. HFA is designed a s a prevention progra m; thus, visits begin prena ta lly or within the first three months a fter a child’s birth a nd contin ue until children a re between 3 a nd 5 yea rs old. Our Hea lthy Fa milies America P rogra m is presented throug h The Pa ren tin g Pla ce
T o learn more visit www.tp p up st ate . org / w w w o c on eefi rsts tep s. o rg
Healthy Families America BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021
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93
Children Served
Home Visiting Hours
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TRIPLE P PARENTING PROGRAM Oconee County First Steps to School Rea diness pa rtners with Hea th’s Ha ven to provide the Triple P P ositive P a rentin g P rogra m. It is a system of pa rent tra ining designed for pa rents of children a ges birth to 1 2 yea rs old. The ma in goa l is to increa se the knowledge , skills a nd confiden ce of pa rents a nd reducin g the preva lence of menta l hea lth, emotiona l, a nd beha viora l problems in children a nd a dolescents.
Level 4 Triple P (intensive) is the a ccepta ble version of the model for the purposes of offering evidence -ba sed pa rent educa tion.
Triple P Positive Parenting Level 4 BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021
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14 Parent meetings
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PARTNERSHIP AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION 2020-2021
6,768 Food Boxes Distributed
500 Book Bags
Warm a Child – 250 Items
60 Pinwheel Gardens 13
Addressing the needs of young children is a shared endeavor. In addition to p roviding services to families and sup p ort for child care p roviders, Oconee County First Step s mob ilizes p artners and community memb ers to ensure all children in Oconee County b eg in school ready to succeed. We serve as a:
*Special thanks to Dickson Tractor – Westminster, SC
# 9,833 served
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T hroug h p artnership s and collab or a ti ons , as well as financial sup p ort from g rants and contrib uti ons , Oconee County First Step s leverag es state dollars to enhance and exp and services to children and families.
FUNDING SUPPORT Borg Warner T he Journal, Oconee Pub lishing , Inc. Anonymous Community Donors South Carolina First Step s Formula Funding G rant South Carolina Preschool Develop ment G rant
IN-KIND SUPPORT St. Mark’ s United Methodist Church Save T he Children Heath’s Haven T he Journal, Oconee Pub lishing , Inc. Palmetto Shared Services Alliance T he Parenting Place G underson’s Outreach
Tonya Hayes, Child Care Trainer Dickson T racto r Oconee County First Step s Board of Directors
Read More about Us For more informati on on p artnership op p ortunities , visit our web site at www.oc on eefi rsts tep s. o rg 15
Expenditures of State Funds by Program Type 0%
Since inception, Oconee County First Steps has leveraged $4,138,704 from sources outside of state government. That’s $0.95 for every state dollar.
100%
State Funding
Federal Funding
Private Funding
In-Kind Contributions
Total
Administrative Support
$21,398
$0
$0
$444
$21,842
Partnership & Community Education
$15,112
$1,000
$1,170
$363,170
$380,452
Healthy Families America
$61,493
$0
$0
$15,858
$77,352
Imagination Library
$7,447
$0
$0
$222
$7,669
Triple P Positive Parenting
$23,140
$0
$0
$6,237
$29,378
Child Care Training & Professional Dev.
$16,815
$0
$0
$1,538
$18,353
Scholarship Initiative
$42,470
$0
$500
$888
$43,858
$187,878
$1,000
$1,670
$388,358
$578,908
TOTAL EXPENSES
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kathleen Davis, B oard Chair, Leg islative Ap p ointee
Shanon Lusk Summer Mast
Misty L ee, B oard V ice -Chair, DHEC desig nee Judy Metcalf B arb ara B ryant, Secretary Nivia Miranda Darcy Arnall Dr. Lorilei Swanson
Annette B urney Molly T annery Katie Conlin Reg T atum Vanessa Earle T ony Vincent Suzanne Evans Janice Young Step hanie G entry Alice L ee
STAFF Dab y Snip es, Executive Director
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Ang ela Ray, Prog ram Sp ecialist Kindel T homas, Social Media Consultant
CONTACT US 1 35 E Ma in St., W estminster, SC 2 9 693 | (864) 985 -3 3 4 2 | www.oco nee firs tst eps.o r g P . O. Box 1 557, Seneca , SC 29679
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