News

The calendar has flipped from from summer to fall. Traffic picks up, fewer vacations occur, and children return to school. This natural order and shift resonate with most in our community. "Most," you ask? Yes, everyone except for those who work in early childhood or care for young children!

Whether you are a parent of a young child, an employee in a child care center, a medical professional, or simply anyone who supports children and families from the prenatal stage up until a child's fifth birthday, you know that normalcy is that slippery rope that you try to grasp, but you can never truly climb.

And that is the beautiful chaos that is the early childhood ecosystem.

At Smart Start of Mecklenburg County, we are honored to support ALL children and families to ensure that all children turn five ready to thrive. In partnership with many individuals and organizations, we have a demonstrable impact on the community. New moms are getting introduced to The Basics thanks to a new partnership with Atrium. More early childhood professionals are accessing the Smart Start funded WAGE$ Program. Four-year-olds are enrolled in high-quality free Pre-K at a higher rate than ever before, with seats still available (click here for options). These are just a few examples, and there are many, many more.

With over 1,000 children being born every month in our county, the early childhood community doesn't have the liberty of getting ready. We just stay ready. Our families, our economy, and our entire county depend on us. We'll keep delivering.