Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic, families have weathered unforeseen impacts in stride. First 5 San Mateo partnered with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to launch the Family Story Project to hear from families themselves. Through zoom interviews, 40 families from 10 communities shared their experiences and perspectives about the challenges and barriers faced during the pandemic, family and community strengths that helped them overcome obstacles, and families’ hopes & dreams for their children. Read the full report and watch the video below to learn about their stories.
Download this one-pager to share some of the findings from this project. These parents shared what more aligned systems look like to them.
Get the details about the challenges, supports, and investments that families are looking for.
We include our voice among the many organizations advocating for increasing access to affordable child care and increasing the rates paid for child care providers as part of the May 2021 Budget Revision.
ECE Coalition Letter to Governor Newsom on the Budget Revision
May 2021 Commission Meeting presentation by Children Now on the May Budget Revision
Peaks & Valleys: Early Childhood Resource Alignment- San Mateo County Families Share their COVID-19 Stories
The California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) and Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC) are proven, effective tools to help move working families out of poverty and up the economic ladder. Together with the federal EITC, these credits can put thousands of dollars in the pockets of working families. For the first time in 2021, tax filers with an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) are eligible for the CalEITC and YCTC credits, meaning outreach to immigrant communities is especially important this year. More information and resources are available below. Help spread the word about EITC, CalEITC, and YCTC to families in our community.
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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.
