Start at Zero

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Start at Zero SAZ partners with parents and caregivers to promote healthy early childhood development.

We provide free online developmental screenings for children ages 1 month through 5 and 1/2 years old, as well as home visits using the Parents as Teachers curriculum. All programs are free and open to residents of the Kansas City metro area.

It's time for our annual summer pause. ☀️ SAZ is closed beginning next week, from July 20 to July 31. Our team will be b...
07/16/2026

It's time for our annual summer pause. ☀️ SAZ is closed beginning next week, from July 20 to July 31. Our team will be back and ready to connect with you on Monday, August 3!

Please note: Start at Zero Play Café is OPEN until July 27! 🎉 Grab a friend and come play with us! 😃

Early childhood conversations often focus on challenges...and those challenges are real.But at Start at Zero, we also be...
07/07/2026

Early childhood conversations often focus on challenges...and those challenges are real.

But at Start at Zero, we also believe in making room for JOY.

Joy when a parent feels confident.
Joy when a child discovers something new.
Joy when families find connection and belonging.
Joy when communities come together around children.

Joy is never separate from healthy development. In fact, it's a deeply important part. 💛

As we head into the second half of the year, we're grateful for every family, partner, supporter, and advocate helping create more moments of joy from the very start.

📣 The people closest to the challenges are often closest to the solutions.Parents know what is working. Parents know wh...
06/30/2026

📣 The people closest to the challenges are often closest to the solutions.

Parents know what is working. Parents know what is missing...parents know what families need. This is the #1 reason why parent voice is essential for us, and never an afterthought.

When parents help shape programs, services, and systems, communities become stronger and children ALWAYS benefit.

Leadership is already happening in homes, neighborhoods, and communities every day. 💪💛

🌎 Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive.⁠⁠Yet most of us understand that opportunity is not distributed equally...
06/23/2026

🌎 Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive.⁠
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Yet most of us understand that opportunity is not distributed equally.⁠
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Families from historically marginalized communities often face barriers that have nothing to do with their love, commitment, or ability to parent...and everything to do with systems that weren't designed with them in mind.⁠
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This is exactly why SAZ has always prioritized partnerships with families who have been under-resourced, underrepresented, or underserved. These children have always deserved more opportunity. 💛⁠
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🤝 One of the most powerful things our team witnesses actually isn't our programming.⁠⁠It's usually...a conversation. A p...
06/16/2026

🤝 One of the most powerful things our team witnesses actually isn't our programming.⁠
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It's usually...a conversation. A parent meeting another parent. A caregiver realizing they're not alone. A family finding someone who understands their experience.⁠
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Research consistently shows that social connection is a protective factor for both parents and children. Yet too many families are raising young children in isolation.⁠
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Whether through our programs, community partnerships, or Play Café, we are committed to creating spaces where relationships can grow. 🌱⁠
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📚 Before a child ever enters a classroom, learning is already happening.⁠⁠It's happening during bedtime stories. At the ...
06/09/2026

📚 Before a child ever enters a classroom, learning is already happening.⁠
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It's happening during bedtime stories. At the grocery store. While building block towers on the living room floor. During conversations in English, Spanish, Swahili, Vietnamese, or any other language spoken at home.⁠
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Parents and caregivers are children's first and most important teachers.⁠
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We believe strong early childhood systems begin by recognizing and investing in the strengths families already possess (not by assuming they need to be fixed).⁠
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When we support parents, we support children's development from the very start. 💛⁠
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Summer is just around the corner, and that usually means transitions. Transitions (new programs, schedules, etc) can be ...
05/26/2026

Summer is just around the corner, and that usually means transitions. Transitions (new programs, schedules, etc) can be challenging for parents and little ones alike.⁠
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We know early childhood systems work best when they anticipate change. So our team focuses on providing proactive, culturally responsive support and programming for children and families. Cultivating stability and being there with reliable support matters, especially in the early years.⁠
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Maternal mental health conditions are the leading complication of childbirth, affecting 1 in 5 pregnant or postpartum in...
05/21/2026

Maternal mental health conditions are the leading complication of childbirth, affecting 1 in 5 pregnant or postpartum individuals. ⁠
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1 in 5. Most of us know at least five mothers, past or present. ⁠
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Challenges like these do not affect all families equally. Systemic barriers to healthcare, longstanding inequities, and gaps in access to support continue to disproportionately impact families from historically marginalized and under-resourced communities.⁠
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Everything we do at SAZ remains free and open to all families. Yet we have always intentionally prioritized partnership with communities too often overlooked or underserved. From home visiting to Group Connections, and even , our base has always been evidence-based practice combined with community care. We're committed to ensuring all parents and caregivers have access to trusted support, connections that matter, and resources that strengthen healthy early childhood development.⁠
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You can learn more about our award-winning work at startatzero.org. 🔗🤰🏻🤎⁠
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Strong early childhood systems both deliver services AND prepare children and families for what comes next.We’re proud t...
05/19/2026

Strong early childhood systems both deliver services AND prepare children and families for what comes next.

We’re proud to partner with KIPP KC, whose commitment to supporting children as they transition into pre-k and kindergarten helps ensure every child enters the classroom ready to grow, learn, and thrive.

When we invest in strong beginnings and smooth transitions, we’re building lasting impact for those children, and our city.

Did you know May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month?Roughly 75% of individuals experiencing maternal mental healt...
05/14/2026

Did you know May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month?

Roughly 75% of individuals experiencing maternal mental health conditions go untreated and undiagnosed. That's staggering to think about. Behind that statistic are mothers carrying anxiety, depression, exhaustion, and isolation without adequate support or access to care.

We know families deserve support that is informed by evidence, strengthened through relationships, and grounded in community care. Through our home visiting programming, we partner with parents and caregivers to provide resources, encouragement, and practical guidance from the prenatal stages through children reaching five years of age. These are critically formative years for both children and the mother.

If you or someone you know is in need of support, please reach out to ask how to get started with our FREE home visiting programming. Visit startatzero.org/programs to learn more about all SAZ has to offer!

Address

5546 Troost Avenue
Kansas City, MO
64110

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 3pm

Telephone

+18166004932

Website

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