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At Smart Start of Mecklenburg County (SSMC), we are committed to the health and well-being of our employees, their families, and children across North Carolina. That's why recently, we became a Family Forward NC ® Certified Employer through Family Forward NC ®.

Through certification, Family Forward NC ®, an initiative of the nonprofit North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation (NCECF), designates employers that offer policies and practices that support the health and well-being of working families and children. NCECF uses its Pathways to Grade-Level Reading Measures of Success and Action Framework and guidance from medical and early childhood organizations across NC and the country as standards for certification.

At Smart Start of Mecklenburg County, we support our employees and their families by providing a welcoming place for employees with children to bring them into the office when unexpected occurrences happen at home, like school or childcare closures. SSMC also features a Mamava Breastfeeding Pod in its office space, available to any nursing mothers working in the building.

Family-friendly workplaces have a competitive advantage. And for children and families, the benefits of family-friendly workplaces are numerous and long-lasting. They include positive impacts on health, development and well-being, financial stability, and future career success.

Children whose parents have access to family-friendly benefits receive much-needed support and time with their parents during the most critical years of brain development. This leads to positive health outcomes, higher education attainment, and future career success. Pregnant employees, parents, and caregivers who have access to family-friendly benefits also have improved health outcomes and are happier and more productive at work.

We're proud to be a Family Forward NC ® Certified Employer. To learn more about our benefits and workplace culture, visit <>. To learn more about Family Forward NC ®, visit www.familyforwardnc.com.

Together, we can continue to ensure North Carolina is prosperous, resilient and welcoming; working parents and caregivers are supported; and our state's children have a strong foundation for academic and career success in the future.