News

The Basics are:

• Maximize love, manage stress
• Talk, sing and point
• Count, group and compare
• Explore through movement and play
• Read and discuss stories.

Ballantyne's gift will support ongoing engagement opportunities and the recruiting and retaining of program implementation partners. It will also fund digital brochures and materials to help increase the number of parents and caregivers applying The Basics in everyday life.

"Smart Start's ability to maximize resources and provide support for families to improve early childhood development is unmatched," said Hailey Rorie, community director at Northwood Office. "We recognize how pivotal the early years are, and exposure to The Basics is key to a child's progress."

Nancy Hughes, executive director of SSMC, shared, "We appreciate Northwood Office's generosity and that they share our commitment to early brain development. This gift will enable us to saturate the community with The Basics."

SSMC plans to expand the reach county-wide of Meck Basics, soon to be rebranded as The Basics Mecklenburg, in 2020. Mission-focused initiatives include extensive training, community presentations and strategic partnerships, as well as ongoing distribution of Basics materials.

About Smart Start of Mecklenburg County
Smart Start of Mecklenburg County mobilizes resources, forges partnerships, and supports families to improve early childhood health, education and development and to ensure children are prepared for kindergarten. The organization is part of the Smart Start network of 75 nonprofit local partnerships that serve all 100 North Carolina counties. This network is led by The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. (NCPC) that ensures fiscal and programmatic accountability and coordinates the statewide network to create better outcomes for children and families.

About Ballantyne
Recognized internationally as one of the most successfully designed and executed mixed-use communities, Ballantyne is a 2,000-acre community in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ballantyne features thousands of apartments, over 1,000 single-family homes, nearly 600 hotel rooms, 19 miles of walking paths, bike lanes and parks, as well as dozens of restaurants, medical and retail amenities. With a laser-sharp focus on providing the nation's most desirable work-life balance community, Northwood Office owns and manages most of the 535-acre business park in Ballantyne, featuring 4.4 million square feet of Class A office space. Northwood's new office project, 13146 Ballantyne Corporate Place, is expected to deliver in March 2021. View updates on Ballantyne Reimagined, the vision to create a more urban, walkable environment at Ballantyne. Visit goBallantyne.com for the latest community happenings.

About Northwood Office
Charlotte-based Northwood Office was established by Northwood Investors a privately held, global real estate investment and management firm to provide a complete approach to fulfilling office space needs. Offering best-in-class services in commercial development, leasing and property management, Northwood Office is committed to creating and sustaining work environments that inspire by focusing on enhancing quality of life, productivity, flexibility and community. For more information, visit northwoodoffice.com.

Media Contacts:

Katie Grant, Smart Start of Mecklenburg County Partnership
704.943.9785 or kgrant@smartstartofmeck.org

Christina Thigpen, Northwood Office
704.496.1570 or cthigpen@northwoodoffice.com