The Call Foundation’s Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood & Family Mental Health Grant Program supports organizations and initiatives that assist children (ages zero through eight-years-old), parents, caregivers, and teachers. The foundation seeks to ensure all children and families in Utah and our region have equal access to high-quality early childhood education and mental health services.
Our Strategy
A child’s early experiences have lifelong physical, social, and emotional impacts. While positive experiences position a young child for a stronger life, traumatic experiences during those early years may result in long-lasting, negative consequences. This early phase of life is critical for positive brain development and building a solid foundation for a healthy and successful life.
Research shows that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) can harm a person’s health and well-being into adulthood, and may result in poor health outcomes like chronic disease, developmental delays, homelessness, sustained poverty, and increased risk for involvement in the criminal justice system. Unfortunately, children of color are much more likely to experience trauma and toxic stress and thus some of these negative outcomes.
High-quality early childhood education and mental health care support and sustain a child’s success throughout life. Early involvement in these programs supports educational attainment and success and increases earning potential. In short, healthy, well-educated children bolster full communities for generations.