Drumroll please! Smart Start of Davie County is proud to announce that the $10,000 Mebane Foundation Challenge Grant has not only been met but exceeded! Thanks to generous contributions from the Davie County community, Smart Start has raised $33,345 to fund its family support and literacy programs.
“We are humbled by the donations from local businesses and individual people in the community to support early education programs and Smart Start of Davie County,” said Gena Taylor, executive director. “We appreciate the wonderful work by the Mebane Foundation through grants that have helped us grow our literacy and family support programs over the years! The success of our mission is attributed to generous supporters and we are deeply grateful to Mebane for their challenge grant, and to everyone that donated!”
Smart Start had to cancel its annual Hometown Hoedown fundraising event, which typically raises $40,000-$60,000, due to COVID-related gathering restrictions. Since state funding was reduced for the Smart Start network across the state approximately 10 years ago, fundraising and grant writing have played a critical role in supporting the organization’s early care and family support programs, according to Taylor.
To support the organization after the cancelation of the event, and to promote early education initiatives in Davie County, Mebane Foundation President Larry Colbourne issued a challenge offering a dollar-for-dollar match up to $10,000.
“The Mebane Foundation continues to be amazed by the willingness and support of the Davie County community to step up when organizations like Smart Start have a need. In this environment, many of our local non-profits are feeling the same type of pain with respect to fundraising shortfalls. With Smart Start being our long-term partner and working in the very same space our mission has us in, it made this challenge a perfect fit for us. I want to congratulate Gena, her staff, and volunteers for their all hard work!”
Taylor explained that the Mebane match will go toward funding Smart Start’s family support programs and literacy programs where state funds fall short.
Smart Start of Davie County serves to ensure that young children enter kindergarten healthy and ready to succeed in school and beyond. The organization connects the community through programs that ensure quality early education, health, and family support for all children prenatal to kindergarten in Davie County. These programs include:
Child Care Subsidy – A child care scholarship program for families
Reach Out and Read – An early literacy program championed by local pediatricians
WAGE$ – An educational incentive program for child care providers
“Many of the family support and community programs we offer, such as KidsFest, Nurturing Parents, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, and Reach Out and Read are primarily funded by grants and private donations,” said Heather Phillips, Smart Start board chairwoman. “We are so grateful to the Mebane Foundation’s Challenge Grant in lieu of hosting our popular Hometown Hoedown event due to health and safety reasons. Because of the Foundation and the community’s generosity, we were able to raise enough funds to confidently continue offering these beloved programs to the families of Davie County.”
Although the Mebane Foundation Challenge has ended, it is never too late to give.Donations will continue tohelp provide quality programs serving children prenatal to five years, their families, and caregivers To give, call the office, or mail checks to 1278 Yadkinville Road, Mocksville, NC 27028.
About Smart Start of Davie County
To learn more about Smart Start and its many programs to promote early childhood education click here, call (336) 751-2113, or email info@daviesmartstart.org.
https://www.mebanefoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Mebane-Challenge-blog-pos-featured-image-Smart-Start-1.jpg600900Jeanna Baxter Whitehttps://www.mebanefoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/mebane-original-300x84.pngJeanna Baxter White2021-04-14 16:32:412021-04-14 16:44:38Smart Start Thanks Community for Help Meeting Mebane Foundation Challenge Grant
Instead of kicking up their heels, Davie County residents are being challenged to click a link. In lieu of its 10th Annual Hometown Hoedown, Smart Start of Davie County is partnering with the Mebane Foundation to promote early education initiatives in Davie County. Through this partnership, any donation made to Smart Start of Davie County under $2,500 will be matched dollar for dollar (up to $10,000).
“Smart Start of Davie County has been a strong partner of ours for more than a decade. Many of their programs touch the very heart of our mission,” said Larry Colbourne, president of the Mebane Foundation. “COVID-19 has forced the cancelation of their largest annual fundraiser, thus, income and support for valuable programs could be adversely affected. I decided that because of our strong relationship, a $10,000 challenge grant to private community funders made sense, and might alleviate some of their loss in event revenue. I’m hoping that this dollar-for-dollar match of up to $10,000 will give Gena and her board some additional fundraising leverage in these difficult times.”
Smart Start had to cancel its annual February fundraising event, which typically raises $40,000-$60,000, due to COVID-related gathering restrictions. Since state funding was reduced for the Smart Start network across the state approximately 10 years ago, fundraising and grant writing have played a critical role in supporting the organization’s early care and family support programs, according to Executive Director Gena Tayor. She is hoping the matching grant will help raise a minimum of $30,000. “We are fortunate to have generous donations to help us continue the work that we do for young children, their families, and local childcare providers and thankfully have not had to reduce any programming.”
“The Mebane Foundation is such a champion for educational programs in our community. Smart Start of Davie County appreciates the investment that Mebane has given to early learning and literacy. This matching grant opportunity has made a profound impact on donations. The fact that every dollar is doubled is an incentive for donors to help us reach our goals, in lieu of our annual fundraiser. On behalf of Smart Start of Davie County and the board of directors, I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mebane for the continued support!”
What is Smart Start?
Smart Start of Davie County is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit that serves to ensure that young children enter kindergarten healthy and ready to succeed in school and beyond. The organization connects the community through programs that ensure quality early education, health, and family support for all children prenatal to kindergarten in Davie County.
Taylor shared that Smart Start envisions a world where all children are healthy, safe, and ready to succeed. She explained that the organization works to:
Identify the needs of young children and families; provide them with inspiring services and activities
Facilitate resources for families to prepare children for kindergarten
Collaborate with the community to identify the resources needed in Davie County
To increase access to high-quality childcare and provide quality instruction and support to area childcare facilities
Expand early literacy opportunities
To achieve these goals, Smart Start funds several programs locally, including:
Child Care Subsidy – A child care scholarship program for families
Reach Out and Read – An early literacy program championed by local pediatricians
WAGE$ – An educational incentive program for child care providers
“Despite the pandemic, we have not slowed down with our programs,” said Taylor who proudly shared that the office has been open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. since May. COVID has forced Smart Start to alter and adjust how it does its programming. For instance, they now offer a touchless drop-off and pick-up of resource center items for both teachers and parents.
Another change has been in the way that Smart Start is able to provide technical assistance to child care centers and early childhood educators. Since the staff is currently unable to enter the centers, they are interacting through virtual classes and Zoom calls. For the past four years, Smart Start has hosted an early educator’s conference for teachers who serve birth to five in Davie County that offers continuing education credits for local childcare providers. Now they are offering classes on health and safety online. The money that would have been spent on the in-person conference was used to provide developmentally-appropriate materials to childcare centers such as fine motor items, sorting, shapes, etc. Each childcare center was able to request the items they needed for filling gaps.
Davie County Smart Start Busier Than Ever Before
On the family support side, Taylor says that they are busier now than ever before. “We definitely see families struggling and we have a waitlist for our home visiting programs and our parenting classes. I could use another full-time Parents as Teachers educator with the family needs that have come about and folks referring others to our home visiting program and our parenting classes.”
Although they held parenting classes in person in October and November, they were split into A and B groups so that there were no more than seven people at a time in a class. Currently, one educator is conducting parenting classes via Zoom and the other is working with families at the Recreation and Parks Center to utilize outdoor space.
Additionally, the Parents as Teachers educators still managed to host 12 Group Connections activities which are open to all families with young children. These are held throughout the year with the focus of making social connections among parents and children. This year’s socially-distanced, outside events included a roll and read literacy event in October, a pumpkin patch carving activity, and a painting event at the Davie County Community Park.
As another way to promote early literacy awareness, Smart Start also partners with the Davie County Public Library to provide preschool storytime on the 3rd Wednesday of each month.
Support Smart Start of Davie County Today!
“Approximately 90% of a child’s brain is developed by age 5, and the importance of early education is evident as the foundation for kindergarten readiness and the grades that follow,” said Taylor. “t is critical that we invest in the lives of our children beginning at birth.”
“Thank you so much to each of the generous folks that have donated to our match opportunity! Many businesses that sponsor our Hoedown event have given to us despite some having a tough year. We are humbled by the individuals that have sent in donations in lieu of buying a ticket to our in-person event. It is evident that the community stands behind us in supporting early education programs and we appreciate each dollar!
There is still an opportunity to give! Visit the link on our website, on our social media platforms, call the office, or mail checks to 1278 Yadkinville Road, Mocksville, NC 27028. Funds raised will help us provide quality programs serving children prenatal to five years, their families, and caregivers.”
Storytime at the Davie County Library.
Mobile Rec Day at Cooleemee Recreation Center.
More About Smart Start of Davie County
To learn more about Smart Start and its many programs to promote early childhood education click here, call (336) 751-2113, or email info@daviesmartstart.org.
More About Us
The Mebane Charitable Foundation in Mocksville, NC, supports collaborations and partnerships among educational professionals (public and private), business leaders, elected officials, and the community at large and has served as a catalyst by granting more than $17 million to educational program partners across the state. The Foundation focuses resources to ensure that all children have the opportunity to reach their highest potential in school, career, and life.
https://www.mebanefoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Smart-Start-Post-Featured-Image.jpg600900Jeanna Baxter Whitehttps://www.mebanefoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/mebane-original-300x84.pngJeanna Baxter White2021-02-18 17:16:252021-02-18 17:25:47Mebane Foundation Issues Challenge Grant to Support Davie County Smart Start
Dr. Kelly Duffy of Wake Forest Health Network – Pediatrics, Advance shares a book with Lucy Diemer (2 ½) as her mother, Louise, looks on.
Anyone who has ever looked into the eyes of a child entranced by the soothing cadence of Goodnight Moon knows that shared reading is magical.
“One of the best ways to engage with young children is through looking at books together. Every time a parent or caregiver snuggles with a child on their lap to read a book, a message is sent to the child that they are loved and will be okay,” explains Callee Boulware, regional director for Reach Out and Read Carolinas (RORC).“ Shared reading helps to develop not only strong parent-child bonds, but also promotes healthy brain development, improves language and listening skills, builds resilience, and buffers toxic stress in children and families.”
Mebane Grant Strengthens The Program’s Strategy
Primary care providers have a unique opportunity to educate and encourage parents to read with their children beginning in infancy. By targeting children and families through their medical provider, Reach Out and Read (ROR) provides a two-generational strategy focused on improved literacy and language skills, increased reading frequency, increased book ownership, and improved home literacy environments.
Recognizing the value of this approach, the Mebane Charitable Foundation in Mocksville has given Reach Out and Read Carolinas, in partnership with Smart Start of Davie County, a $32,000 grant to support the deepening and expansion of the program in Davie County.
“The Foundation has been very familiar with the great work and partnership of Reach Out and Read of the Carolinas and Smart Start of Davie County, so when we were approached to fund an even larger collaboration that would include our Davie County Health Department our support was a no-brainer. The program already reached more than 1,000 children even before the health department partnership was added; now it will reach even more young families and children that need the support. Considering that more than 43% of children in Davie County are not proficient in reading by the end of third grade, the need for this robust support for all families is evident,” said Larry Colbourne, president of the Mebane Foundation.
About RORC & Smart Start in Davie County
The partnership between RORC and Smart Start of Davie County started in 2012, and the two organizations began working with Wake Forest Health Network Pediatrics – Advance and Mocksville in 2014 through a three-year grant from the North Carolina Partnership for Children. In 2017, the program was expanded to include Novant Health Davie Medical Associates and Novant Health Hillsdale Medical Associates through a second three-year grant. Together these four ROR programs are reaching 925 children between 6 months and 5 years of age. An additional 100+ Davie County children are benefiting from ROR programs located in Forsyth County.
The grant will help ensure the high-fidelity implementation of ROR at each of these locations, fund the expansion of the program to the Davie County Health Department in Mocksville, and implement the intervention “back to birth” in all active Davie County ROR programs.
“Grants have been instrumental in sustaining this program and we are very thankful to the Mebane Foundation for its continued support of literacy in our community, especially in the area of birth to five,” said Gena Taylor, executive director of Smart Start of Davie County. “Vocabulary building, brain development, and family bonding are at the core of all of our programs and Reach Out and Read promotes all three.”
Dr. Joel Edwards of Novant Health Davie Medical Associates carefully selects a book for a young patient.
“Reach Out and Read is a wonderful model that can be blueprinted into any clinical practice,” said Boulware. “But our partnership with Smart Start is so valuable because my staff can’t intimately know 100 counties in the way an organization in that county can know that county. Together we marry our evidence-based intervention with their local expertise. We also have families with additional challenges like housing, food, and adult literacy. Smart Start can bring the appropriate community resources into the waiting rooms and clinics as well as provide information to the doctors and staff so that we can connect all of the dots.”
Smart Start also delivers the books pre-sorted by age so that it is easy for the medical provider to quickly grab an age-appropriate book. More than 1,800 books have already been distributed this year despite the significant number of well-child visits postponed because of COVID-19.
The Davie County Health Department is thrilled to join the collaboration and have the opportunity to offer ROR to the 700 birth-to-five-aged children that they serve. “Studies have shown that the number of words heard by young children as they grow up varies dramatically with socioeconomic status; children from low-income families hear significantly fewer words than their more affluent peers. The hope of the Reach Out and Read program is that by putting books into our patients’ lives and homes, we will be giving parents the tools and knowledge that will help their children grow up with increased language, increased stimulation, an enhanced home environment, and a better chance for success in school,” Davie County Health Department Pediatrician Dr. Stephanie Pirkle said.
Specifically, ROR offers a three-pronged research-based model to promote healthy brain development in children:
The Primary Care Provider Coaching and Building Skills in Parents, Modeling and Supporting Early Brain Development and Relationships: During well-child visits, the doctor prescribes reading by modeling read-aloud strategies while teaching and training the parent about how to share books and why it is important. Parents are engaged in the conversation as the provider offers guidance and emphasizes how reading brings families together.
The Book: Each child is given a new, culturally and developmentally appropriate book to take home, building a collection of 10-15 new books in the home before the child goes to kindergarten. According to recent reports, 41% of children are growing up in low-income households and almost one-quarter of those children have fewer than 10 books of any kind in their household.
Literacy-Rich Environment and Resources: Clinic environments support literacy-rich messaging and resources to families, supporting providers in community-health resources, and supporting parents in daily literacy activities with their children.
More Than Just A Book Giveaway
More than 437,062 children are served annually in North and South Carolina by over 2,424 trained medical providers in over 548 participating clinics and hospitals.
Backing up to birth is a critical component of the project, built on the depth of research and guidance available about the developing brain and the critical nature of the first 1,000 days.
“For the first 20 years of the intervention, ROR started with the six-month-old visit because the earlier visits were filled with immunizations and other concerns. We’ve since learned that 80% of the brain is developed by three years old, so we simply can’t afford to waste a single day,” Boulware said.
“By backing up all of our programs to begin with the very first visit after birth, we capture six more months of brain development through four additional in-person visits, and we have the opportunity to help families develop a routine of reading together from the very beginning, which is far easier than trying to implement one further down the line.”
“Parents are a child’s first teacher, so it is critical that they understand the importance of reading from the beginning,” said Taylor. “Having someone influential in a child’s life, like the pediatrician, provide a book and prescribe reading together as a family really enhances a parent’s awareness of the importance of reading.”
To ensure the structure and rigor of the intervention, medical providers are required to participate in continuing certified medical education training. “ROR is not going to cajole anyone into doing this,” Boulware said. “The primary care providers are the ones in the room with the patients, and if they don’t feel excited about the program it’s not going to be done well. Reach Out and Read is not just a book giveaway, it becomes an integral part of the visit, and a valuable tool in the provider’s toolkit.”
So far, twenty-four Davie County medical providers have completed the training.
“It brings me so much joy to watch children progress from babbling to proudly saying their first words and later speaking in full sentences and sharing what is on their mind,” said Dr. Kelly Duffy, Wake Forest Health Network Pediatrics – Advance. “Children’s brains are developing rapidly in the first three years of life. Children that are read to more often in these early years go on to develop better language and literacy skills that are critical for the rest of their lives. Reach Out and Read makes it possible for every child in our practice to receive a book at each well visit from birth to age 5. This places books into the hands of families that might not otherwise have access to them. The books provided by Reach Out and Read help me reinforce the importance of reading with families. They also help me teach developmentally appropriate ways for families to share books and language in the natural rhythms of their daily lives with their children.”
To emphasize the value of the ROR program, Boulware detailed some of the information a medical provider can glean through presenting a book.
By observing the child’s interaction with the book, the provider can evaluate motor skills, cognitive skills, social-emotional skills, and get a sense of where the child is developmentally, such as:
Does the child handle the book in an age-appropriate manner? For instance, does a six-month-old immediately put it in their mouth?
If the book is handed to a child upside down, can they re-orient it correctly at the appropriate age?
Can they manipulate the pages?
Can they identify colors, letters, and point to pictures at the appropriate age?
Additionally, assessing family dynamics and relationships in the sterile environment of a clinic can be hard. The book gives the provider a way to see how the family interacts together, providing insight into the strengths of the family and the opportunity to skill-build from there.
For example:
Does the child immediately hand the book to a family member to have it read to them?
Does he get scolded for chewing on the book?
Is there a teachable moment?
“Doctors have told us over and over, especially through COVID, that these visits are the best part of their day,” said Boulware, with a smile. “I’ve heard comments like ‘The children love it,’ ‘the families love it,’ and ‘I can use Reach Out and Read to encourage families and to reinforce the message that whatever your challenges, you are still the most important thing in your child’s life and it is my job as your doctor to partner with you and to help you make all of your dreams for your baby come true.’”
Videos From ROR Demonstrate a Typical Medical Visit:
The Mebane Charitable Foundation in Mocksville, NC, supports collaborations and partnerships among educational professionals (public and private), business leaders, elected officials, and the community at large and has served as a catalyst by granting more than $15 million to educational program partners across the state. The Foundation focuses resources to ensure that all children have the opportunity to reach their highest potential in school, career, and life.
https://www.mebanefoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Mbeane-Reading-Grant-Featured-Image.jpg600900Jeanna Baxter Whitehttps://www.mebanefoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/mebane-original-300x84.pngJeanna Baxter White2020-12-02 14:35:472020-12-02 14:35:48Mebane Foundation Grant Expands Reach Out and Read Program in Davie County Medical Practices
Emily MacCaull and her son Tommy explore free Smart Start Toy Kits
By Jeanna Baxter White
Four-year-old Tommy carefully considers the boxes of toys lining the Smart Start bookshelves before selecting a kit labeled “Sand and Water Play.” His mom, Emily MacCaull, waits patiently, allowing him to choose for himself.
These toy kits are just one of the many resources Smart Start of Davie County offers residents and early childhood educators as it seeks to ensure quality childcare, education, health, and family support programs for all Davie County children birth to five.
Smart Start is North Carolina’s nationally recognized and award-winning early childhood initiative designed to ensure that young children enter school healthy and ready to succeed in school and beyond. Studies clearly show that the foundation for lifelong success in school and work is laid during these vital years.
MacCaull first learned about Smart Start and the toy-lending program from the daughter of a Smart Start employee when her older son Robbie, who is now a first-grader at William R. Davie Elementary School, was a baby. Since then, her sons have checked out every kit offered at least once. “I don’t know why we even buy toys because the boys love to check these out,” MacCaull said with a laugh. “It’s been so nice to borrow a kit for a week or two and not have to own so many toys at home.”
In fact, when the boys outgrow or get tired of their toys, the MacCaull family donates them to Smart Start to help create additional kits. “Checking out the kits has also broadened the boys’ horizons because they’ve selected things I wouldn’t have thought they would have been interested in.”
Imagination Library
Tommy is enrolled in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program which provides any child living in Davie County one free, age-appropriate book per month from birth through their fifth birthday. The books are mailed to their home and addressed to the child. Provided in conjunction with the Dollywood Foundation, this program encourages literacy, parent/child interaction, and ultimately a successful start as the child enters school. Register for free at Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Group Connections Strengthen Community The MacCaulls have also enjoyed the group connections activities which are hosted by the Parents as Teachers educators and open to all families with young children. These are held throughout the year with the focus of making social connections among parents and children. BlockFest, one of the more popular group connections, is a research-based exhibit that helps raise awareness of early math and science learning by offering hands-on block play experiences to families with young children. Other activities this summer included making ice cream, tie-dying, an outdoor story walk, and a cooking class.
Barrett Achor enjoys participating in the Blockfest group connection activities
The next group connection, Roll and Read!, will be held on September 20, in conjunction with Davie Recreation and Parks. Register by calling 336.753.8326.
Smart Start – Enrichment for all Young Families in Davie County Smart Start Director Gena Taylor would love to have every family in Davie County with young children take advantage of these programs as well as the many others.
“I want our community to know that we are a non-profit that is here to create a Smart Start for children ages birth to five. Many people confuse us with Head Start or believe that we are a childcare center where children are kept during the day,” said Taylor. “Instead, our mission is to give families what they need to help raise and nurture their children to be successful in kindergarten. These services include programs to assist with health, early care and education, family support, literacy, and more.”
Daijah Emwanta participates in tie-dying Group Connections activity
Smart Start of Davie – A One-Stop Shop of Free Resources
“We are a one-stop-shop where parents can find referrals to resources in our community, lists of childcare centers, and more,” said Taylor. “We work with our childcare centers to ensure high quality and offer training for teachers. We provide many programs for parents to be successful in the home with their children such as parenting classes, educational toys, and having quality books to create a love of reading prior to kindergarten.”
Programs funded by Smart Start of Davie County this year include:
● Child Care Health Consultant, a free health consulting service for legally operating childcare facilities
● Childcare Subsidy, a childcare scholarship program for families
● Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, an early literacy program for children
● Parents as Teachers, an intensive, in-home, parent/child education program
● Nurturing Parenting Program, a ten-week parenting class
● Strengthening the Foundations of Quality, a technical assistance program for childcare providers
● Early Childhood Resource Center, a free toy and resource lending library for parents and childcare providers
● Reach Out and Read, an early literacy program championed by local pediatricians
● WAGE$, an educational incentive program for childcare providers
Smart Start of Davie County also offers a wealth of trainings throughout the year that all early childhood educators, parents, and community members are invited to join. These trainings are free of charge to Davie County residents, unless otherwise noted. Register at Davie Smart Start Training Programs.
Smart Start Early Childhood Education Specialist and Literacy Coordinator Katie Speer helps Tommy MacCaull check out his toy kit
Parents as Teachers
One noteworthy initiative is Parents as Teachers (PAT), a comprehensive home-visiting, parent education program. This free service is available to all families from prenatal to five years of age or kindergarten start. Smart Start of Davie County is a Blue-Ribbon Affiliate, meaning the program follows the essential requirements of the model, which provide minimum expectations for program design, infrastructure, and service delivery.
“Sometimes it would be nice if a baby, toddler or preschooler came with a manual,” said Susan McBride, family support coordinator & parent educator. “Welcoming a newborn into the world is an overwhelming and cherished experience. After being discharged from the hospital the feeling of “now what” sets in quickly for many new parents. The Parents as Teachers program can help ease that transition.”
The PAT program allows trained Parent Educators to build relationships with families and offer invaluable tools to ready children for school starting as early as prenatal visits.
Parent Educators check baby milestones, bring developmental activities for parents to learn and get ideas from, and answer any questions and concerns. During the bi-weekly visits, Parent Educators reflect, engage and connect with families on topics that are at the center of the family. These topics could be nutrition, safe sleep, language development, parenting values, postpartum depression, or transitions to just name a few. The personal visits the family receive are customized for the needs of each family.
A new enhancement to the PAT program is LENA technology. The technology is an innovative standard for measuring talk with children, which is a critical factor in early brain development. LENA uses a small wearable device — often referred to as a “talk pedometer” — combined with cloud-based software to deliver detailed feedback that helps adults make proven, sustainable increases in interactive talk with children. Parent Educators introduced LENA to families in the spring of 2019 and there are currently 14 children participating.
“Our goal is to build strong protective factors to keep families healthy, strong and resilient while preparing children for success,” McBride said.
https://www.mebanefoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Smart-Start-01-int.jpg6071080Jeanna Baxter Whitehttps://www.mebanefoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/mebane-original-300x84.pngJeanna Baxter White2019-09-11 17:10:572022-12-06 15:50:33Smart Start of Davie County – Prepare Your Children for Success!