FY 2024-25 Smart Start of Mecklenburg County Impact Report

2024-25 ANNUAL
IMPACT REPORT

TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Our Mission and Vision
Welcome Letter
The Year In Review
Success Stories & Partners
Outreach & Engagement
Our Donors
Our Sponsors
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OUR MISSION
We mobilize resources, forge partnerships, and support families to improve early
childhood health, education and development, and ensure children are prepared
for kindergarten.
WELCOME LETTER
Dear Friends and Partners,
The Smart Start of Mecklenburg County (SSMC) team is proud to share
our Fiscal Year 2025 Impact Report, an opportunity to celebrate the
progress, partnerships, and possibilities shaping early childhood in our
community.
Every day, we work to ensure that all children in Mecklenburg County
turn five ready to thrive. This year, that mission has guided us through
new milestones in expanding access, deepening collaboration, and
strengthening the systems that support children and families from prenatal
to age five.
OUR VISION
All children in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County enter kindergarten healthy
and ready to succeed.
From innovative early literacy efforts and expanded home visiting
coordination to new partnerships that improve family support and early
care quality, SSMC continues to be a trusted connector and catalyst
for lasting change. Our collective impact is visible in classrooms, clinics,
and living rooms across the county, where families, educators, and
community partners are working together to build strong foundations
for lifelong success.
The progress outlined in this report reflects the power of shared
commitment. We are deeply grateful to our partners, funders,
volunteers, and community advocates who help bring this work to
life. Together, we are creating a brighter, more equitable future for
Mecklenburg’s youngest residents.
With sincere appreciation,
Mike
Blackwelder
Chief Executive Officer
Kelly
King
Board Chair
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THE YEAR IN REVIEW
SOME IMPACTFUL NUMBERS ON EARLY CHILDHOOD IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY
484,578
MESSAGES
SENT TO
CAREGIVERS BY
ParentPowered
THROUGH
CHILD CARE HEALTH CONSULTANTS,
THERE WERE
AT
ON UPDATED HEALTH
PROTOCOLS AND
PROCESSES
82 PARENTS
COMPLETED THE POSITIVE
PARENTING PROGRAM
THROUGH
THE LEARNING
COLLABORATIVE
600+
FAMILIES
PARTICIPATED IN
RED BAG ROTATIONS
THROUGH
RAISING A READER
74%
IMPROVEMENT
SEEN IN DEVELOPMENTAL
AGING IN PARTICIPANTS IN
THE COMMUNITY LANGUAGE
PROGRAM’S APPLE A DAY
PROGRAM
342
PARENTS &
CAREGIVERS
SUPPORTED THROUGH
HOME VISITING PROGRAMS
377,553
BOOKS DELIVERED
THROUGH
DOLLY PARTON’S
IMAGINATION
LIBRARY
& 272
CHILDREN
RECEIVED THERAPEUTIC
INTERVENTIONS
BECAUSE OF
CHARLOTTE SPEECH
& HEARING CENTER
515
CHILD CARE
STAFF MEMBERS
RECEIVED EXTRA FUNDING
THROUGH WAGE$
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A Journey Toward a Brighter Future
When Tiana joined the Safe Journey Parents as
Teachers (Communities In Schools) program, she
was a 10th grader balancing schoolwork with caring
for her young son. With her case manager’s help, she
re-enrolled at West Charlotte High School and began
receiving weekly check-ins, counseling support, and
resources to help her family stay on track.
Even when transportation barriers, job loss at home,
and her child’s illnesses made school seem impossible,
Tiana refused to give up. With Safe Journey’s support,
including access to childcare and summer classes, she
not only caught up on her coursework but graduated
early in February 2025.
Hearing The Future Clearly
Every child deserves to start school ready to learn, play, and grow with confidence. This year, the
Charlotte Speech and Hearing Center (CSHC) helped make that possible for more than 1,500
children across Mecklenburg County.
During screenings held in classrooms and community centers, CSHC specialists identified
children who needed extra support — and for 46% of those children, they helped families
connect to early intervention services before kindergarten even began.
These early screenings mean that children who once struggled to hear instructions or
communicate clearly are now entering school equipped to thrive. For parents, it’s peace of mind.
For teachers, it’s the power to reach every child. And for the community, it’s one more step
toward a future where every child has a strong, healthy start.
Today, she’s preparing to start the nursing program
at Central Piedmont Community College. Her
determination, matched with Safe Journey’s support,
shows what’s possible when families are surrounded
by care, encouragement, and opportunity.
All of Our Partners Making an Impact in Family Support:
• Guiding Parents to Services
• Safe Journey Parents as Teachers (Communities In Schools)
• Nurse-Family Partnership (Care Ring)
• YMCA Parents as Teachers
• The Basics Mecklenburg
• Moms Moving Forward (Freedom Communities)
All of Our Partners Making an Impact in Health and Development:
• Guiding Parents to Services
• Community Language Impact Program (CSHC)
• Child Care Health Consultants
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A Community of Readers
This year, Raising a Reader (RAR) helped more than 600 children across Mecklenburg County fall
in love with reading through weekly red book bag rotations and family literacy workshops.
With support from Smart Start funding, RAR continued programs for over 100 children whose
sites might otherwise have closed — ensuring stories kept flowing into homes every week.
Together with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, the team hosted more Active Reading
workshops than ever before and launched its first Early Literacy Teacher Training Conference.
Partners like Promising Pages donated thousands of books so that each child could build their
own home library.
Post-workshop surveys showed remarkable results: nearly 100% of parents said they now read
more intentionally with their children — asking questions, connecting stories to real life, and
making reading a joyful family routine.
Finding Her Voice
When Marisol began the school year at Charlotte Bilingual Preschool, she was shy, quiet, and
struggling to meet most early learning milestones. Her teachers noticed that she hesitated to
speak in both English and Spanish, which made it hard to measure her progress in areas like
literacy, math, and social-emotional growth.
Working closely with her mother and an occupational therapist, Marisol’s teachers created
individualized learning experiences to help her build confidence and strengthen her
communication skills. Through this teamwork, she received an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
and began to flourish.
By the end of the year, Marisol’s Spanish language proficiency had grown from 5% to 50%, and
her social-emotional skills from 22% to 78%. Today, she eagerly talks with teachers and plays
joyfully with her classmates — a confident learner ready for her next steps.
All of Our Partners Making an Impact in Literacy:
• Community Language Impact Program (CSHC)
• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
• Raising A Reader
• ParentPowered
All of Our Partners Making an Impact in Early Care & Education:
• Charlotte Bilingual Preschool
• Child Care Health Consultants
• Social-Emotional Teacher Coaching (Child Care Resources, Inc.)
• Child Care WAGE$ (Early Years)
• The Learning Collaborative
• Quality Everyday (Child Care Resources, Inc.
• MECK Pre-K
• North Carolina Pre-K
• Early Educator Workforce Development
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A Strong Start for Every Child
In June, MECK Pre-K marked its seventh graduating class with nearly 1,900 children ready to
take their first confident steps into kindergarten. Across more than 100 classrooms, families
celebrated with caps, gowns, and proud smiles, a joyful reminder of what high-quality early
education makes possible.
“After a fantastic year of growth in everything from self-confidence to cognitive learning,” said
Mary-Margaret Kantor, SSMC’s Chief Education Officer, “we’re thrilled to see these children
move forward ready to learn.”
Launched from a bold county vision for equitable access, MECK Pre-K now prepares to expand
again—adding 10 new classrooms and 180 additional seats for the 2025–26 school year.
Each one represents another child set on the path toward lifelong success and another family
supported by a community that believes in opportunity for all.
Finding Their Voice in the Classroom
When a group of future teachers joined the English for Academic Spaces program, they shared
one goal: to stand confidently in front of a classroom. Over 12 Saturdays, these dedicated
English-language learners built communication skills, completed practicum hours in MECK Pre-K
classrooms, and discovered a sense of belonging in Mecklenburg’s early childhood community.
Led by instructor Jill Morin, the program provided more than grammar lessons—it built
confidence, connection, and opportunity. “Our classes are about empowering participants to
step into their careers with confidence,” Morin shared. “They improve their language skills, build a
supportive network, and find the courage to pursue their next steps.”
Many graduates returned this fall to continue their journey toward becoming early educators,
ensuring that tomorrow’s classrooms reflect the rich diversity of the children they serve.
“
Investing in pre-K is investing
in economic mobility for our
entire county.
Former Mecklenburg
County Manager
Dena Diorio
“
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Powering Home-
Based Child Care
with Technology
Growing Together Through The Basics
For many home-based child care providers, technology can be the bridge between survival and
sustainability. Through a partnership with E2D (Eliminate the Digital Divide), Smart Start of
Mecklenburg County distributed new laptops to local providers, giving them tools to strengthen
their businesses and better support the children in their care.
“Home-based child care owners are small business leaders,” said Dr. Nicole Campbell, SSMC’s
Chief Impact Officer. “Technology helps them expand their reach, streamline operations, and
engage families in new ways.”
From spreadsheets to story time, these laptops are transforming daily operations. As one
provider shared, “This gives me new ways to help my business grow and help children learn
through technology.”
With each delivery, Smart Start is helping take the stigma out of home-based care, and giving
providers the power to grow, giving more options for pre-K in Mecklenburg County.
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Over the past year, The Basics Mecklenburg has brought early
learning to life through two vibrant new murals created by Charlotte
artist Julia Rojas, in partnership with Charlotte Is Creative. Each
installation transforms a community space into a place where
children and families can learn, explore and connect.
The first mural, installed in October 2024 at Atrium Health
Levine Children’s Myers Park Pediatrics, was championed by
board member Dr. Shivani Mehta, MD, MPH, FAAP. Designed for
a pediatric waiting room, the interactive artwork helps minimize
stress while encouraging families to talk, point, count and explore
together. Bright colors and playful illustrations introduce the five
Basics principles in a way that feels calming, welcoming, and childcentered.
In April 2025, a second mural was unveiled at Grow Café. This joyful
garden-themed piece quickly became a focal point for families,
as children spotted flowers and bugs woven through the design.
Caregivers paused to read the embedded Basics messages, sparking
conversations about how simple daily interactions can help young
children thrive.
Together, these murals bring The Basics into public, accessible spaces,
reminding families that learning can bloom anywhere.
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This mural is more
than art. It’s a
vibrant tool that
inspires families to
celebrate everyday
learning.
Mike Blackwelder,
SSMC CEO

OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT
1,165
VOLUNTEER
HOURS
FY24-25 FINANCIALS
Functional Expenditures
6.6%
154 OUTREACH
EVENTS
DIGITAL REACH
Revenue
State Awards and Contracts*
Federal Awards
Local Awards
Private Contributions
Other Receipts
Total Revenue
$13,615,093
$62,358
$24,768,377
$486,652
$151,081
$39,083,561
*Includes Subsidy & WAGE$
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DONORS
Bank of America
Chipotle Mexican Grill
First National Bank
Kappa Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma
Park National Bank
Corporate
Providence Preparatory School
United Community Bank Foundation
Vanguard Group
Viasat Inc.
PRESENTING SPONSOR
Foundations
Carol B. Phelon Foundation
Merancas Foundation
PNC Foundation
Vanguard Charitable Foundation
World Reader
TRANSFORMATION ADVOCATES
Heba Abdelbaky*
Richard Agner
Tenille Alexander-Banner
Patrick Bailey
Simone Hall Banks
Teressa Beam*
Peggy Berry
Mike Blackwelder
Jo Boyd
Jake Brewer
Shanda Brock-Perry
Sheana Brown
Elizabeth Buckingham*
Michael Caggiano
Camille Catchings
Laquanda Chambers
Brad Cohen
Amy Corbett
Sherri Cowan
Ikes Cunningham
Natacha Duggins
Tessa Dyer
Mary Kathryn Elkins
Catherine Etters
Shelia Faison
Joanette Freeman*
Rita Frye
Individuals
Bold denotes members of Thrive By Five Philanthropy Circle
* denotes members of FY24-25 Board Member
William and Eleanor Funderburg
Benjamin Gilman*
David Hall
Kimberly Henderson*
Thomas Higgins Jr.
Vena Holmes
David and Jan House
Jake House*
Michael Ide
Elizabeth Johnston
Amanda Joyner*
Mary Margaret Kantor
Jared Keaton*
Kelly King*
Toria LeGrant
Ross and Jennifer Levin
Elaine Liberato Jenkins*
Nick Loder
Elizabeth Lotito
October Makabin
Matthew Marceron
Anil and Anita Matai
Tina McClanahan
Shivani Mehta*
Laura Meier*
Oscar Garcia Menjivar
Jacqueline Mims-McClenon
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Adriane Watkins Mingo
Margaret Munson
Maddie Myers*
Emily Nanney*
Amanda Nitto*
Paige Pahlke
Elisabeth Pordes
Janelle Powers
Jared Ramsey
Jaime Rechkemmer
Latoya Scott*
Allen and Sarah Shifflet
Laurel Shustack
Janet Singerman
Brittany Smith
Mark and Debra Smith
Sharon Spigner
Jennifer Stamp
John and Claire Tate
Robin Taylor
Kru Trivedi*
Brittney Watts
Sandy Weathersbee
Braxton Winston*
Jim and Holly Wood
RELATIONSHIP BUILDERS
CONNECTION CATALYSTS
BUILDING BLOCKS
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SmartStartOfMeck.org