Children First Center

Children First Center Providing free in-home parenting education, child development, & mental health assistance to families
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Children First Center believes that every child, every family, and every community within our reach deserves the best beginning possible. For some, that may require an extra pair of caring hands or the insight of bright minds that see success as the only option. To that end, we offer a broad scope of services for children and families that deserve an opportunity to grow. Children First Center is a

non-profit agency with a long history of successfully providing developmental and educational services for children and families with special needs. As part of our commitment to building stronger communities, Children First Center provides a broad base of intervention, prevention and preservation services. Initially, Children First Center was established to provide family-focused early intervention services for infants and toddlers with special developmental needs and their families. As our services expanded, we began working with high-risk families and soon became the lead agency for several family development programs, parenting education, and therapeutic support services in DeKalb, Noble, Steuben, LaGrange, and Whitely counties. After 15 years of temporary housing in the Auburn First United Methodist, the Center moved to its own facility in 1987, where we stayed until January of 2022, when we moved to our current location, 1610 S Grandstaff Drive. Our mission continues as we strive to help children become all they possibly can be.

Happy Work Anniversary to Melinda we are so grateful to have you on our team!
09/01/2026

Happy Work Anniversary to Melinda we are so grateful to have you on our team!

It's September 1st. You know what that means 66 days till Holiday Loaf Season! Stay tuned for when and where you can ge...
09/01/2026

It's September 1st. You know what that means 66 days till Holiday Loaf Season! Stay tuned for when and where you can get yours.

Proud to support Haven of Hope at their annual fundraiser.
08/30/2026

Proud to support Haven of Hope at their annual fundraiser.

Thank you to Nick Scheumann with Ever Wealth for his contribution to our upcoming event A Reel Night of Impact.
08/28/2026

Thank you to Nick Scheumann with Ever Wealth for his contribution to our upcoming event A Reel Night of Impact.

It's all most time!
08/25/2026

It's all most time!

Safety Impact78 families. 175 children. 7 months. ❤️In just seven months, Children First Center has helped make homes sa...
08/25/2026

Safety Impact

78 families. 175 children. 7 months. ❤️

In just seven months, Children First Center has helped make homes safer for 175 children across 78 DeKalb County families by providing essential safety resources.

That includes:
🚗 47 car seats installed to help children travel safely
🛏️ 11 Pack ’n Plays provided to give babies a safe place to sleep
🚪 37 safety gates provided to help prevent accidents at home

These aren't just numbers. They're babies safely buckled into car seats. They're children protected from falls. They're parents who have the supplies and support they need to keep their children safe.

There’s still a chance to check out the beautiful hand-painted benches throughout downtown Kendallville! 🎨 Our bench was...
08/21/2026

There’s still a chance to check out the beautiful hand-painted benches throughout downtown Kendallville! 🎨 Our bench was created for Children First Center and painted by Mariesa, and we’d love for you to stop by, find it, and enjoy all of the incredible artwork from local artists. 💚 The proceeds from the benches will benefit the work of Historic Downtown Kendallville and the local non-profit that painted them! Click the link to see all the benches for Art on Main project

https://www.32auctions.com/organizations/100381/auctions/201734?r=1&t=all

08/19/2026

MARK YOUR CALENDARS 🗓
So excited to partner with Whitley County Health Department and Anthem Medicaid Brandi Schorey to host a Community Baby Shower for our pregnant mamas!
Look forward to:
🍼Community Resources
🎁Giveaways and Raffle prizes
💙Local Organizations
📚Parenting and child development information
🎉Fun activities
🍪Refreshments

I’m reading Upstream by Dan Heath, and I came across a section that made me stop and think, “This is exactly what we do....
08/13/2026

I’m reading Upstream by Dan Heath, and I came across a section that made me stop and think, “This is exactly what we do.”

The book talks about how changing a pregnant mother’s environment and reducing the risk factors in her life can change the trajectory of her child’s life years later.

That is the power of going upstream.

At Children First Center, we believe in reaching families before challenges become crises. We support parents during pregnancy and those critical early years, help reduce stress and risk factors, connect families to resources, teach safe parenting practices, support healthy development, and help parents build confidence.

We may not always get to see the “18 years later” part of the story.

But we know that the support we provide today can influence what happens tomorrow.

A safer home.
A healthier baby.
A parent who feels capable instead of overwhelmed.
A child who gets the support they need early.
A family that has someone in their corner.

That’s prevention. That’s going upstream. And that’s why we do what we do.

I love when something I’m reading puts into words why this work is so important. ❤️. Check us out at

Putting Families & Children First We build relationships with parents and caregivers across northeastern Indiana to offer support, education, and resources to navigate daily family life. Donate Today! Putting Families & Children First At DeKalb County Parent Group for Handicapped Children, we strive...

Don't forget to place your bid on these beautiful benches. A portion of the proceeds goes to Children First Center.
08/11/2026

Don't forget to place your bid on these beautiful benches. A portion of the proceeds goes to Children First Center.

Auction ends August 31st!! Take a look at all the talent!

Art on Main project: benches! The proceeds from the benches will benefit the work of Historic Downtown Kendallville, a non-profit organization that encourages the economic development, historic preservation, and continuous improvement of downtown Kendallville. Many of the benches were painted by a local non-profit! The proceeds from those benches (noted in its listing) will be split evenly between that organization and HDK. Historic Downtown Kendallville, in collaboration with any benefitting non-profit organization.

Address

1610 S Grandstaff Drive
Auburn, IN
46706

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+12609253865

Website

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