First-Chance Delaware

Carney Family Initiative Promotes Early Childhood Opportunities

Delaware first lady Tracey Quillen Carney has long had the best interest of her state’s youth in mind, much like her husband, Gov. John Carney. She stepped away from her 15-year career in education shortly after becoming first lady to lead the First Chance Delaware initiative toward its goal of ensuring that all Delaware children have a “first chance” to succeed.

“I’m very proud of the work Tracey has done to help Delaware students,” Gov. Carney said. “She’s usually too humble to take any credit herself.”

First Chance Delaware encourages public, private, non-profit, philanthropic, business entities and community partnerships that work to:

ƒ End childhood hunger and expand access to nutritious food for low-income children.

ƒ Promote learning readiness through literacy, health and parent-child engagement programs.

ƒ Advance the recognition of and effective response to adverse childhood experiences.

The first partnership recognized as a First Chance Initiative was the Task Force to End Childhood Hunger, which is comprised of the first lady and representatives from the Food Bank of Delaware, the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Social Services.

First Chance has also partnered with Delaware Libraries. Last year, the Carneys’ goal to increase the state’s childhood literacy resulted in a collaboration with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

“That program gives a free book every month to children from birth to age five and helps foster a love of reading in children across the state,” Gov. Carney said. “Tracey has been leading that charge. Since we launched that program in Delaware in April 2022, we’ve had over 26,000 families sign up. Those will be kids that grow up with a love of reading that will translate into a love of learning throughout their school years.”