Overview
What is First Steps Inc?
First Steps Inc, established in 1957, is a dedicated nonprofit organization situated in Nashville, Tennessee. Their mission is to educate and care for children with special needs and medical conditions, fostering an inclusive environment where they learn alongside typically developing peers. They offer full-time care and education at the McWhorter Family Children's Center for children aged six weeks to five years. Their highly trained staff provides individual attention, recognizing each child's unique strengths and challenges. They regularly report on a child's progress to parents and caregivers, offering tools to enhance skills at home. Their Community Outreach Program includes skilled developmental therapists who travel to children's homes, childcare centers, or other natural settings to conduct play-based interventions tailored to the child's goals. Engaging with parents and caregivers in these environments and coaching them to utilize these techniques is an integral part of this program. The Ayundando Ninos (Helping Children) Program, under the Community Outreach, caters to children from Latino families and other cultures, utilizing interpreters to facilitate communication. First Steps Inc prioritizes ongoing staff training to stay updated on new techniques and evaluation tools, ensuring each child receives the best possible care. Their Therapy Program offers occupational, speech/language, physical, and feeding therapies to children up to age 12 at the McWhorter Family Children's Center. Over the past year, they provided over 6,900 therapy sessions.
Official website here: www.firststepsnashville.org
What are the reviews and ratings of this charity?
Charity Navigator Rating: 100% - Four-Star out of Four Stars
First Steps Inc has achieved a perfect score of 100% on Charity Navigator, indicating exceptional performance in accountability and finance. This rating is significant as it demonstrates the organization’s commitment to transparency and responsible financial management. The evaluation is based entirely on metrics related to governance and financial health, showcasing a strong commitment to ethical practices.
The organization boasts a fully independent board with 15 members, affirming its dedication to impartial decision-making. It has implemented comprehensive policies such as conflict of interest and whistleblower protections, ensuring robust governance. Furthermore, First Steps Inc maintains high program expense ratios, indicating that a significant majority of its funds are directed toward its mission-related activities rather than administrative costs.
No limitations or concerns have been noted in the available data, which further highlights the nonprofit's strong operational integrity and effective financial management. Overall, First Steps Inc stands out as a highly accountable and well-managed organization dedicated to its cause.
This AI summary has been generated from information found on Charity Navigator.
Is First Steps Inc legitimate?
First Steps Inc is a legitimate nonprofit organization registered as a 501(c)(3) entity. First Steps Inc submitted a form 990, which is a tax form used by tax-exempt organizations in the U.S., indicating its operational transparency and adherence to regulatory requirements. Donations to this organization are tax deductible.
Heare are some key statistics you may want to consider:
Executive Compensation: $262,351
Professional Fundraising Fees: $0
Other Salaries and Wages: $1,698,156
For more financial information, click here
Official website here: www.firststepsnashville.org
What is the mission statement of First Steps Inc?
First Steps Inc's mission is centered around educating and caring for children with special needs and medical conditions, allowing them to interact with typically developing peers in inclusive environments. The organization supports these children and their families by providing full-time care and education at the McWhorter Family Children's Center, catering to children between six weeks and five years old. The highly trained staff offers individual attention, recognizing each child's unique strengths and challenges. They communicate daily with parents and caregivers, using the Teaching Strategies Gold system to track progress and provide resources for skill development at home. First Steps offers a curriculum rich in literacy and developmental skills, laying a strong foundation for future achievement. The Community Outreach Program, consisting of skilled developmental therapists, provides play-based interventions in natural settings to help children achieve their goals, collaborating with parents and caregivers to incorporate these techniques into their daily lives. The Ayundando Niños (Helping Children) program, a part of the Community Outreach Program, works with children from Latino families and other cultures, offering interpreters to facilitate communication. First Steps prides itself on providing its staff with the best training, ensuring they are up-to-date with new techniques and evaluation tools, ensuring each child receives the highest quality care.
Official website here: www.firststepsnashville.org
Who is the CEO of First Steps Inc?
Heather Higgins is the Executive Di of First Steps Inc.
Official website here: www.firststepsnashville.org
What is the revenue of First Steps Inc?
First Steps Inc's revenue in 2023 was $3,282,967.
Official website here: www.firststepsnashville.org
Who are the executives of First Steps Inc and what are their salaries?
The average compensation at First Steps Inc during 2023 was $31,119. There are 63 employees and 42 volunteers at First Steps Inc.
Here are 17 key members and their salaries:
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Official website here: www.firststepsnashville.org
Where can I find the form 990 for First Steps Inc?
First Steps Inc's most recent form 990 was submitted in 2023 and can be accessed here.
Official website here: www.firststepsnashville.org
Learn more at the official website: www.firststepsnashville.org
Mission Statement of First Steps Inc
First Steps Inc, a nonprofit organization established in 1957, is dedicated to educating and caring for children with special needs and medical conditions in inclusive environments. The mission of First Steps Inc is to provide these children with the opportunity to learn and grow alongside their typically developing peers, while also supporting their families. The organization serves a diverse range of families from various socio-economic backgrounds and ethnicities.
At the heart of First Steps Inc's mission is its McWhorter Family Children's Center, which offers full-time care and education to children with special needs and their typically developing peers between the ages of six weeks and five years. The center's highly trained staff provides each child with individual attention, recognizing their unique strengths and challenges. They communicate regularly with parents and caregivers, using the Teaching Strategies Gold system to report on the child's progress and provide tools to help them continue working on skills in their home environment.
The curriculum at First Steps Inc is rich in literacy and developmental skills, providing a strong foundation for future achievement. In addition to its center-based services, First Steps Inc also offers a community outreach program. Skilled developmental therapists travel to a child's home, childcare center, or other natural setting to provide play-based interventions tailored to the child's goals. This program involves working with parents and caregivers to coach them in using these techniques.
First Steps Inc also has a special program called Ayudando Niños (Helping Children), which is part of the community outreach program. This program works with children from Latino families, as well as other cultures, providing interpreters to assist in communication with caregivers. First Steps Inc prides itself on offering its staff the best training to ensure they are up-to-date with new techniques and evaluation tools, ensuring each child receives the best possible care. The organization's therapy program offers occupational, speech/language, physical, and feeding therapies to children up to age 12 at its center. Over the past year, more than 6,900 therapy sessions were provided.
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Impact
July, 2024
First Steps Inc has a profound impact on children with special needs and medical conditions, as well as their families. Since 1957, First Steps has been dedicated to providing education and care for these children in inclusive environments, alongside their typically developing peers. By offering full-time care and education at the McWhorter Family Children's Center, children aged six weeks to five years receive individualized attention from highly trained staff. This approach recognizes the unique strengths and challenges of each child and supports their development through a curriculum rich in literacy and developmental skills.
Moreover, First Steps extends its impact beyond the center through its community outreach program, which includes skilled developmental therapists who work with children in various settings to help them reach their goals. The "Ayundando Ninos" program specifically caters to Latino families and other cultures, offering interpreters to facilitate communication with caregivers. By providing therapy sessions in occupational, speech/language, physical, and feeding therapies, First Steps further supports children up to age 12.
In the past year alone, First Steps has conducted over 6,900 therapy sessions, demonstrating their commitment to ensuring that each child receives the best possible care and support. This holistic approach not only benefits the children under their care but also positively impacts their families, promoting inclusivity, education, and overall well-being in the community.
This information is meant to be a general summary of First Steps Inc. Please take the time to review official sources before making any decisions based upon the content provided here.
Financials
This financial information is from Propublica.
Other financial information:
This information is from the most recently submitted tax form from this organization, which was in 2023.
- Investment Income: $20,363
- Program Service Revenue: $1,552,635
- Gross Receipts: $3,334,675
Assets and Liabilities:
- Total Assets: $4,303,178
- Total Liabilities: $428,723
- Net Assets: $3,874,455
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Programs
Programs are reported by nonprofits in their tax forms and are normally their tax-exempt activities.
PROGRAM SERVICE FEES
Revenue
$1,096,856
THERAPY SERVICE FEES
Revenue
$455,779
Organization Details
Founding Year
1957
Phone
(615) 298-5619Principal Officer
Heather Higgins
Main Address
1900 GRAYBAR LANE, NASHVILLE, TN, 37215
Website
www.firststepsnashville.orgNTEE Category
Code: B28Z - Education
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