$6 mil in tobacco funds to help kids in NW Maricopa County

The Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board submitted this information.

The Northwest Maricopa Regional Partnership Council will receive more than $6 million in First Things First funds to create positive change for young children and their families in their community.

The Northwest Maricopa Regional Partnership Council is a voluntary governance body responsible for improving early childhood development and health outcomes for children through age 5 in neighborhoods and communities throughout the Northwest Maricopa Region. The Northwest Maricopa Region includes the communities of Aguila, El Mirage, Glendale, Morristown, Peoria, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, Waddell, Wickenburg, Wittmann and Youngtown.

The Northwest Maricopa Regional Partnership Council is determining local priorities for community needs and identifying service gaps.

First Things First funds are generated by a statewide 80-cent tax on tobacco products. Regional Partnership Councils receive 81 percent of the total funds, while 10 percent of the funds are used for agency administrative costs and 9 percent for statewide initiatives.

Allocation for each region is based on census tallies of children through 5 years old, with extra weight given to children in poverty.