Wake County Smart Start

Wake County Smart Start is a nonprofit organization that prepares children for success in school and in life. We serve children ages 0-5 and prepare them for kindergarten and life ahead. Founded 1996, Wake County Smart Start improves the quality, accessibility and affordability of child care and family services. We are a private-public partnership that builds bridges between nonprofits, private child care centers and public institutions. We are administer the public NC Pre-K and ThreeSchool programs. We work closely with private child care centers to increase the quality of early childhood education and to place children in free programs. We fund programs across Wake County that provide much-needed services to children and families including parenting support, mental health services, early literacy and other community-centered programs. We believe that: * Learning begins at birth; * All children deserve the best opportunities to grow * Families and communities play a critical role in children's learning; and * Collaboration is essential to accomplish our vision. *Poverty is not destiny - if we invest in children and families, they will thrive.