The Sandbox: August 2026
Thrive By 5 MoCo: A New Tool For Families in Montgomery County
Earlier this month, the Children’s Opportunity Alliance officially launched Thrive By 5 MoCo, a new website to help families of children ages 5 and under navigate early care and education (ECE) and the resources available in our County and state. This website was designed with input from community partners, families, and ECE advocates, and we are so excited to share it with the broader Montgomery County community.
Why Now
I’ve written before about the complexity of our current web of ECE resources and the challenge that families face as they navigate the many resources that exist in our community. Families have told us that finding the right ECE option can require visiting multiple websites, outreach to different organizations, and piecing together information about care, cost, and financial assistance. Montgomery County has made significant investments in programs and supports for young children and their families. Thrive By 5 MoCo helps ensure families can easily find and connect with resources by creating a more connected and accessible experience.
How it Supports Families
Thrive By 5 MoCo is a tool families, educators, schools, and community organizations can use to easily access and explore available ECE resources. This website helps to fulfill the overarching goal of the Montgomery County ECE Common Agenda: that the children in our County arrive to Kindergarten ready to learn and thrive. We created Thrive By 5 MoCo from a caregiver’s perspective – instead of expecting families to navigate which individual agencies operate different programs, the site houses information on many programs in one easy-to-use place. Families can explore resources tailored to their child’s age and the type of ECE support they need, including information on family supports, financial assistance, child care, Pre-K, and more.
We know that affordability is a major concern for families in Montgomery County. Thrive By 5 MoCo has a comprehensive (and ever-growing) list of financial support resources that can help families access high-quality ECE for their children. Free Pre-K is an important resource for families, but understanding the free Pre-K options can be confusing. Families may be trying to determine whether their child is eligible, what options are available through Montgomery County Public Schools or community-based programs, and how to get started. Thrive By 5 MoCo brings Pre-K information together in one place to make those options easier to understand and explore.
In addition to ECE information, Thrive By 5 MoCo includes information about prenatal supports, child development, family supports, health services, and other resources for the first five years of a child’s life. There are so many organizations in our County who are providing crucial resources to families, and we’re excited to make these resources more visible and help families access what they need.
Share Your Thoughts
As we enter the flurry of another back-to-school season, our hope is that families in Montgomery County will use Thrive By 5 MoCo to navigate the ECE system with clarity and confidence. This site will continue to evolve as we add new resources, tools, and languages, and your feedback will help make it stronger. Visit Thrive By 5 MoCo, and let us know what you think.