We transform lives through quality two-generation education

VISION: Families have access to quality early education in their neighborhoods with an emphasis on parents learning how to support their young children’s educational journey while improving their own.

MISSION: We create stepping stones of success for underprivileged families through comprehensive family literacy programs.  Through preschool with parent education and home visiting, we provide a firm foundation for future learning.  Through scholarships and internships we acknowledge and enrich the life-long continuum of learning.  Through regular community meetings with those who share our vision and mission, we promote awareness of the need for such services and a forum to work together.

A Stepping Stone Foundation transforms lives through quality education. Its hallmark program LEAF (Literacy Elevates Arizona Families) nurtures success for families of limited opportunities by providing a two-generation, tuition free and comprehensive family literacy program for children at risk of school failure and their parents.

Through LEAF, A Stepping Stone Foundation requires enrolled families to attend the following components: preschool, adult education, parenting classes, home visiting, intergenerational classroom and out of classroom activities. This program also provides tuition free child care and enrichment for the younger siblings of the preschoolers.

We are committed to fostering life-long education and to that end began The Billie Gannaway Memorial Scholarship program for former preschoolers who needed access to higher education in 2001 and an internship program in 2012. Finally, in order to leverage our efforts, we began the TwoGenEd Affinity group in 2017 which meets quarterly with policy makers, practitioners, elected officials and funders.

Ensuring Access to Education

Our legacy is to provide equal opportunity for preschoolers to quality education and to support family literacy through adult education, and intergenerational activities regardless of ethnicity or economic status.

Volunteerism

Our inspired community volunteers, who participate through foundation membership, fund raising activities or in the preschool classroom, are vital to the success and welfare of the foundation’s preschool children.

Parental Involvement

Our requirement that parents of our preschool students attend adult education and parenting skills classes, provides them with lifelong learning opportunities. Our requirement that parents work in the preschool classroom with their children and allow regular home visits by the teacher, underscores the importance of education and family literacy to the parents.

Children!

Our providing tuition free child care and enrichment for the younger siblings of the preschool students allows the parents to fulfill the participation requirements of the family literacy component, and demonstrates the importance of education to the children.

Community Partnerships

Our individual and corporate sponsored support through grants, financial aid or “in kind” donations, assures the continuing success of our preschool program. We also value all other existing high quality preschool programs that will prepare the children for school success.