Partnership for Children of Johnston County Celebrates Smart Start Month

Partnership for Children of Johnston County Celebrates Smart Start Month
Johnston County, NC — The Partnership for Children of Johnston County is celebrating September as Smart Start Month, a special designation recently proclaimed by the Johnston County Board of Commissioners to recognize the essential role of the Smart Start Network in supporting North Carolina’s youngest children and the adults who care for them.
“In Johnston County, the Partnership is the backbone of the local early childhood system,” explained Executive Director, Candy Scott. “We collaborate with child care providers, community partners, educators, and families to ensure every child in our county receives the best possible start.”
In celebration, the Partnership is asking Johnston County residents to share their reasons for celebrating Smart Start Month and how the Partnership’s work has impacted them, their families, and their community. Submissions can be sent to Alicia Davis at adavis@pfcjc.org and will be shared on the Partnership’s social media pages.
The Partnership is one of 75 local nonprofits within the Smart Start Network serving all 100 North Carolina counties to create better outcomes for children birth-to-five. The organization works to improve child care quality and access, partnering with families to help them thrive, and enhancing child and family health and safety. They do this through training and coaching for child care providers, parenting classes and support groups, and most recently, their Child Care Academy. “Last fiscal year, 14 of our 26 academy graduates were hired by licensed child care facilities, helping to address the critical shortage in our child care workforce,” said Scott.
Investments in high-quality early childhood initiatives like Smart Start yield substantial long-term benefits for children, families, and society through increased educational attainment, higher earnings, reduced crime, and better health outcomes.
“Smart Start shows what’s possible when state leadership, local communities, and private investment work together to build real systems of support for children and families,” stated Amy Cubbage, President of the North Carolina Partnership for Children, the nonprofit that leads the network. “It’s how North Carolina moves from patchwork programs to lasting systems that ensure access to early care and education, support for families, and strong foundations for child health.”
About the Partnership for Children of Johnston County
 
The Partnership for Children of Johnston County is a non-profit organization that has strived to improve the safety, health, and emotional well-being of young children for more than 25 years. The Partnership works to enhance the quality of early childhood education, promote strong families, and ensure school readiness for all children in Johnston County.
 
Together, we can improve the economic sustainability of Johnston County by ensuring that its future workforce is prepared for success in school and life. To learn more about the Partnership’s programs and services, please call 919-202-0002 or follow us on social media @PFCJoCo.