Helping All Children Turn Five Ready to Thrive!

This newsletter is brought to you by

Click here to learn more about our 30th Anniversary "Featured Event Sponsor".

Well, Happy (almost) New Fiscal Year anyway!

As the calendar flips from June to July, Smart Start of Mecklenburg County shifts into all things new. Our new slate of direct service providers, innovation grant recipients, and internal programs are in full implementation mode. Our MECK Pre-K team has stored away the graduation gowns and has moved into planning mode for a new crop of four-year-olds set to begin their education journey in the fall. And finally, Smart Start of Mecklenburg County begins a new era under the leadership of its new CEO, Mike Blackwelder.

The good news is that the train is firmly on the tracks, as we have built an amazing organization of people capable of delivering on the mission. In close coordination with Smart Start’s Board of Directors, we have worked tirelessly to ensure continuity while also planning for the future. We are thankful to one another and the collective team of internal and external constituents for their support and guidance.

There is one thing that will remain constant regardless of changes—our belief in the power of “we,” that is the early childhood ecosystem here in Mecklenburg County. We thank you for being a part of it and helping us to ensure that all children turn five ready to thrive.

Smart Start of Mecklenburg County is excited to announce our FY23-24 direct service providers! We are proud to partner with these local organizations to continue building a robust support system for families with young children. We invite you to learn more about each program by clicking the link below.

Join us as we celebrate 30 years of helping children turn five ready to thrive, one dollar at a time! This year we proudly celebrate 30 years of mobilizing resources, forging partnerships, and supporting families to improve early childhood health, education, and development.

We are currently seeking job applicants who embrace diversity, understand the importance of maintaining a culture of trust, and are willing to work together to deliver positive stakeholder experiences.

Are you looking for a career that offers opportunities to make a difference in a child's ability to enter school healthy and ready to succeed? Click the link below to explore open positions at some of our local Pre-K facilities.

We mobilize resources, forge partnerships, and support families to improve early childhood health, education, and development - all to help ensure children are prepared for kindergarten. Click the links to learn more about our community partners, programs and recent news.