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While the world remembers Rob Reiner for his iconic roles in front of and behind the camera, Mendocino County has a more personal reason to mourn his passing. Beyond the filmmaker was a visionary advocate who, from his own kitchen table in the mid-1990s, drafted with lawyers the blueprint for what would become First 5 California and a network of county commissions, including our own First 5 Mendocino. His simple, powerful conviction was that every California child deserves a strong start.
That conviction became Proposition 10, the 1998 ballot measure that added a 50-cent tax on tobacco products to create a permanent funding stream for early childhood programs. It was a game-changer. In its first years, Prop. 10 nearly doubled the state’s investment in early childhood. Over a quarter-century, it has directed billions of dollars—roughly $500 million annually statewide—to support children from birth to age five. Here at home, First 5 Mendocino has invested millions in parenting education, early literacy, and improvements in quality childcare, strengthening the foundation of our community, family by family.
The spark came from Reiner’s own experience as a new father. He often said that after reading stacks of parenting books, he was struck by society’s imbalance: the immense sums spent on the last weeks of life compared to the minimal investment in the first years. He set out to correct that, and in doing so, he touched every corner of California.
Those who worked with him here remember his profound humanity. Anne Molgaard, the founding executive director of First 5 Mendocino, recalls a moment that revealed his heart.
“I’ll always remember an early state commission meeting when tensions were high, and Rob was visibly frustrated,” Molgaard shared. “During a break, I walked over and placed my four-month-old daughter in his arms. He looked at me like I was out of my mind — handing my baby over — but he took her. He stepped outside, walked around with her, and came back calm. That moment said everything about his humanity and his heart.”
This week, the staff of First 5 Mendocino gathered to reflect on how Reiner’s legacy has directly shaped their lives and work. Their stories are about his legacy in action.
“I was parenting to survive until I learned better tools and strategies through working at First 5,” shared one team member.
Another stated, “Working at First 5 has not only helped me survive as a single mom but has helped my kids and me to thrive.”
The impact extends to family health: “First 5 was instrumental in me understanding better the neurodivergent needs of my daughter, getting the assessments and accommodations she needed to thrive.”
For some, the journey came full circle. “I attended a Parenting Class when my kids were toddlers. Years later, I joined the First 5 team and realized that class was because of First 5. I had come full circle, now able to offer the same benefits to our community.”
Our current executive director, Townley Saye, expressed the collective hope moving forward: “that we can continue to carry on the lasting, impactful legacy of Rob Reiner in the work we have yet to do to help children and families in Mendocino County thrive.”
Rob Reiner showed us the power of one person to shape policy and transform futures. As we honor his memory, we do so by championing the system he built — ensuring that every child in our county has the chance to succeed, from their very first years.