Queen Creek Family Resource Center opens

The Queen Creek Family Resource Center held a grand opening ceremony on Wednesday.

The resource center is located inside WonderWise Preschool, 21259 E. Ocotillo Road, and provides the community with a place to access resources and information, meet daily needs, engage with other families and receive social support.

Mayor Julia Wheatley and staff from the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce attended the event.

The center offers free parent and children learning activities, resources, referrals and support to parents, families and caregivers with children from birth to age 5.

The center is courtesy of a $750,000 grant from First Things First to the town of Queen Creek. First Things First is the state’s only public funding source dedicated to early childhood development.

In November, the Queen Creek Town Council unanimously approved accepting the grant through an intergovernmental agreement.

The grant comes from Arizona Early Childhood Development Southeast Maricopa Regional Partnership Council-First Things First and runs from 2025 through 2027.

Under the agreement, the town receives the funding only after services have been provided for the family resource center. Wonderwise Preschools will invoice the town, the town will pay Wonderwise and then seek reimbursement from First Things First.

Funding for the center this year is $150,000, and $300,000 in 2026 and 2027.

First Things First was established by voters in 2006 through Proposition 203.