Early childhood education is a vital time for children – 95% of brain development occurs in the first five years of a child’s life. Yet many low-income families in San Mateo County cannot afford such enrichment services for their children. As a result, by the time their children arrive at Kindergarten they are already behind, and by 3rd grade they are reading below grade level.

The Big Lift is a bold collaborative effort striving to change this by ensuring that all children in San Mateo County – regardless of income – get the right start. The effort is focusing on high-quality and connected learning experiences from preschool through third grade, reducing chronic absence and summer learning loss, and engaging families to support learning in school and at home.

This effort is ambitious and transformational – 200 organizations have already joined forces to raise over $28 million in two years. Four San Mateo County communities with below-average reading scores are already begin invested in, and that is just the start.

PVF is proud to be a key funder of this important effort to lift up San Mateo County’s children, giving them the start they deserve for a successful future.