December Newsletter: The State of Young Children and Families in San Mateo County
Explore the latest news and updates from First 5 San Mateo County! Inside, read 5 takeaways about the state of young children and how they’re
Explore the latest news and updates from First 5 San Mateo County! Inside, read 5 takeaways about the state of young children and how they’re
It’s the year 2030, and you are looking around San Mateo County’s diverse communities and neighborhoods. What looks different for children prenatal to five and
Read about the 2022 Child Care Needs Assessment, share stories about what child care means to you, hear from Family Connections’s Eric Valladares about why
Winter, and the holiday season, are here! And as much fun as it can be, this time of year can also be stressful. In this
Last week marked the Week of the Young Child, a time to honor educators and those who make a difference in young children’s lives. This
We know how important children’s earliest years are in shaping their learning and development. Never before have the needs of young children and their families
This month, Congregation Beth Am, Community Equity Collaborative and Good2Know Network partnered in sponsoring a screening event for the film No Small Matter, which highlights
Wondering how child care providers are operating during the COVID-19 pandemic? First 5 San Mateo County and our partners organized a panel of local professionals
On December 17th, First 5 San Mateo County (F5SMC) celebrated its 20 Years of Community Investment Celebration at the San Mateo City Hall. Many community
November 1 was a magical day, as First 5 San Mateo County staff gathered with partners and friends to celebrate two decades of thinking bigger
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Kitty Lopez has served as the Executive Director of First 5 San Mateo County since 2013, focusing on strategic investing, community leadership, policy and advocacy development for young children, 0-5, and their families.
Kitty has served as Co-Chair of the Advisory Body for Build Up for San Mateo County Children’s Initiative, with Board of Supervisor, Dave Pine, since 2018. Congressman Kevin Mullin is Honorary Co-Chair. This initiative was established to preserve, grow, and increase the number of early care sites in San Mateo County.
Kitty previously served as the Executive Director of Samaritan House, one of San Mateo County’s leading Core Service Agencies and safety-net nonprofits serving low-income families and individuals with food, shelter, clothing, health care, counseling, education classes, and holiday assistance from 2002 to 2013.
Kitty taught kindergarten, second grade, and high school in southern California and San Francisco and was a consultant in schools with children who have autism and special needs. Additionally, Kitty worked in a residential substance abuse treatment center in San Francisco and psychiatric hospital for children and youth in San Diego. Kitty’s roots in supporting children began as a 16-year-old volunteer at the Braille Institute in Los Angeles where she taught swimming to children and adults with visual impairments.
She attended University of California Santa Barbara earning a California Teaching Credential and B.A in Psychology. Kitty is active in her community serving as Vice Chair of the San Mateo County Event Center, and Past President and Current Member of the San Mateo Rotary Club. She is currently serving as Past President of the First 5 Association of California. On March 2022, Assembly Speaker pro Tem Kevin Mullin selected Kitty Lopez as the 2022 Assembly District 22 Woman of the Year.
