Expanding and Improving Early Learning Facilities in San Mateo County through the Build Up Family Child Care Expansion Grants

In San Mateo County, there is a critical childcare shortage, and Build Up San Mateo County was awarded a $50,000 grant from Gilead Sciences to expand the capacity of childcare providers during the pandemic. With Gilead’s investment, ten $5,000 Family Child Care (FCC) Grants were awarded to small at-home childcare programs. The lack of access to licensed child care, preschool, and afterschool programs impacts families, children, and the overall wellbeing of the region. Read more about who these grants helped, and how the grantees used these resources to expand and improve for San Mateo County families. 

Build up is an initiative to grow and improve the supply of early care and education facilities in San Mateo County, and is a funded partner of First 5 San Mateo.

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Headshot of Kitty Lopez

Kitty Lopez has served as the Executive Director of First 5 San Mateo County since 2012, focusing on policy, advocacy and communications development. Additionally, she is the Chair of First 5 Association of California. Kitty previously served as the Executive Director of Samaritan House, one of the leading safety-net nonprofit agencies serving low-income families and individuals in San Mateo County with food, shelter, clothing, health care, counseling, education classes, and holiday assistance from 2002 to 2012.

Kitty taught kindergarten, second grade, and high school in the Bay Area and in Santa Barbara, 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 in San Diego.

She attended University of California Santa Barbara earning a California Teaching Credential and B.A in Psychology. Kitty is active in her community serving on several community boards including HEART (Housing Endowment and Regional Trust of San Mateo County), STEP (Success Through Education Program), and Past President and Current Member of the San Mateo Rotary Club.