📖 Read a book. That's it. That's the post. Reading to a child for just 15 minutes every day improves brain development and improves literacy skills. On this #ReadABookDay, remember to read aloud to a child in your life. It's fun for the whole family!

💛 Thank you to all who gave a gift in honor of Dolly Parton this week. It's the generous support of our community members that help keep the magic in the mailbox for thousands of Meck County children. If you'd like to make a gift honoring Dolly's legacy: smartstartofmeck.org/get-inv…

🎆 Happy Memorial Day and welcome to the unofficial start of Summer 😎 📚 Be sure to sign up your children for @cmlibrary Summer Reading! From June 1-August 15, you can track your child's reading (ages 0-18) and earn prizes along the way. Sign up here: cmlibrary.org/summer

🍦 Thank you to our friends @jenisicecream for hosting an Ice Cream Social for Smart Start of Mecklenburg County last month! Jeni's gifted over $160 to SSMC from proceeds that night. We look forward to partnering with them again this summer. We'll see you all there! 😎

☝️ week until Brews & Blooms: A Spring Social Benefitting SSMC! Each ticket purchased gets you a drink ticket, appetizers, and a floral arrangement to create! Celebrate your loved one, socialize, and make a difference.ow.ly/zQUv50YSqf2

📸 #TBT to the humble beginnings of SSMC's Partner Powered Conference. What was once a small gathering of community thought leaders in our training rooms has grown to nearly 150 and a larger venue! Join us for the 6th annual conference Sat, Mar 14: smartstartofmeck.org/events/…

📅❤️ We'd 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮 to see you in a month at the 2026 Partner Powered Conference! Join us at Project 658 on Saturday, March 14 and jump into trainings on leadership, coaching and more! Learn more and reserve your seat today: smartstartofmeck.org/events/…

💬 "[Home visiting] meets families where they are and sets goals to get them further on in life." #FamilySupportAwarenessMonth Learn more about Smart Start of Mecklenburg County's Home Visiting Services Network: smartstartofmeck.org/early-c…

"Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly," Martin Luther King Jr. Studies show high-quality pre-K is crucial for upward mobility. It closes early achievement gaps leading to better school performance, higher graduation rates, and earnings. #MLKDay

One week warning 🚨 Interested organizations, educators, and community partners are invited to join Smart Start of Mecklenburg County (SSMC) next Thursday, Jan. 13 for our RFA and Innovation Grant Conference. For more info and registration ➡️ smartstartofmecklenburgcount…

🎉🎓 Congrats to our latest New Voices in Early Childhood Education graduates! Members spent their Saturday afternoons last fall building confidence in English through scenarios, role playing exercises, and established resumes to help jump start a career in front of a classroom.

Today we celebrate the power of reading together as a family. Whether it’s bedtime stories, cooking with recipes, or reading signs on a walk—every moment counts. Literacy isn’t just about books—it’s about bonding, learning, and growing as a family. #FamilyLiteracyDay

🤔 Not sure which Pre-K option is right for your child? Join our virtual webinar and hear from panelists from MECK Pre-K, NC Pre-K, Bright Beginnings and Head Start. 🎟️ smartstartofmecklenburgcount… 🗓️ Tuesday, Jan. 13 🕕 6:00-7:15pm

🎉 Wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year! Here's to another year of ensuring every child In Mecklenburg County turns five ready to thrive!

⌛ A year-end gift made before the ball drops helps ensure that the progress we made in 2025 doesn't stop – it carries forward into the year ahead reaching more children, families and educators. If you're able, please consider making a gift today. smartstartofmeck.org/donate/

𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝑺𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒆𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒈 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒚

𝑨 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑺𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒆𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒈 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒚:

🫶 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 to all who gave a gift or shared our mission on GivingTuesday! There's still time to double your impact! Our $10,000 match remains open until Friday at noon, so if you're a last minute shopper, have no fear, you can still support SSMC: smartstartofmecklenburgcount…

📚 🧱 A book a month. A foundation for life. This GivingTuesday, help us keep the magic in the mailbox. Your gift will be matched up to $10,000, allowing us to keep sending children free, age-appropriate books to their homes every month. smartstartofmecklenburgcount…

🥧 Happy Thanksgiving from the Smart Start of Mecklenburg County family to yours!