Seeing this picture of smiling children on the Wake County SmartStart’s homepage instantly brightened up our day. It is evident they are excited about the services Wake County SmartStart provides for them, which helps elevate the success of their future. We wanted a reason to smile, too, so we did some extra digging to find out what Wake County SmartStart is all about.

Wake County SmartStart, WCSS, helps Wake County children from birth to age five prepare for kindergarten and life in general. In addition to managing several programs, WCSS has 10 partner agencies who help them work towards their goal of teaching and captivating young minds.

WCSS aims to achieve many objectives including providing high-quality care to children, making sure children are healthy and developmentally ready for school, and ensuring children and families are supported by a strong, diverse, and integrated early childhood system.

They prioritize investments to support children and families with the greatest need in the community. Some of the many funded programs WCSS provides include The Family Literacy Program, Farm To Child Care and WAKE Up and Read.

The Family Literacy Program consists of a parenting skills series and a home visitation program that focuses on literacy skills. Professionals provide parents with children from birth to 5 years old with two 10-week parenting skills series and an interpersonal problem-solving skills program.

Children are connected with local farmers through WCSS’ Farm to Child Care. They learn how to prepare food, grow food on site and even get the chance to eat the fresh fruits and vegetables at hand. The program helps children eat more healthy, nutritious food.

WAKE Up and Read, is a collaborative effort to engage and educate Wake County about the significance of childhood literacy and to increase access to literacy resources and opportunities for children. The WAKE Up and Read collaborative teams up with community agencies and partners to develop and share resources and opportunities focused on increasing early childhood literacy skills.

What we love about Wake County SmartStart is that they provide a care and education system that helps equip children with the tools and skills for school and everyday life. The children of today are the adults of tomorrow, so it is critical for them to have sufficient learning resources. WCSS is a powerful brain builder that enriches and enhances the lives of many children.

Check them out and learn more about their mission at http://www.wakesmartstart.org/