Volume 16, Issue 2
Summer 2020
A contactless curbside service is NOW available to our patrons
To help limit the spread of COVID-19 and continue to keep our community safe, the Smart Start ELF remains CLOSED to the public. We are excited to be offering a new contactless curbside pick up and drop off service.

For more information, call the ELF at 910-212-6352.
Smart Start Receives International Paper Foundation Grant
Columbus County Partnership for Children (Smart Start) has been awarded a $1,500 grant from International Paper’s Riegelwood Mill and the International Paper Foundation. The funds will support the launch of Let’s Read! Columbus.

Let’s Read! Columbus is a literacy campaign to promote the importance of early literacy throughout the entire county. The campaign is a collaborative effort between the Partnership for Children, Whiteville City Schools as well as other education and community agencies within Columbus County.

“We are proud to support Columbus County Partnership for Children as they strive to promote early literacy,” said Kevin Driscoll, mill manager at International Paper’s Riegelwood Mill. “Columbus County Partnership for Children has been resourceful in working with other organizations to find alternative ways to ensure the Let’s Read! program is available throughout the county.”

Due to COVID-19, the launch of Let’s Read! Columbus and the Family Fun Day co-sponsored by the Partnership, the school systems and other community agencies, has been postponed. The event will be re-scheduled at a later date.
Photo cutline: Dr. Selena Rowell, Executive Director of the Columbus County Partnership for Children accepts a donation from Kimberly Clewis, Communications Manager with International Paper, Riegelwood Mill. The funds were awarded to support the efforts of Let’s Read! Columbus literacy campaign to promote the importance of early literacy throughout the entire county. For more information about Let’s Read! Columbus, contact Dr. Rowell at 910-499-4548 or Beverly Turner at Whiteville City Schools, 910-642-4116. For information about the Partnership’s other literacy programs and services, call 910-642-8226.
Summer READ to me Challenge - It’s time to sign up!
For pre-readers and young readers
(birth—5 years)
July 6, 2020 – August 7, 2020
 
Call the Smart Start Early Learning Facility (ELF) at 910-212-6352. If there is no answer, leave a message, including your name and phone number. We will contact you to complete a registration form and mail or email you the Challenge guidelines and a Reading Log.
 
From July 6th through Aug 7 th , each time you read to your child(ren), document the information on the Reading Log.
 
At the end of the Challenge, mail or drop off your child’s completed Reading Log. If you complete the Challenge and you return the Reading Log, your child will receive a participation certificate and their name will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of several great prizes!
 
Follow us on  Facebook  (@ColumbusSmartStart) and watch our page for extra incentives throughout the summer reading challenge.
Residents of Columbus County, like residents of cities throughout North Carolina, the United States and even the world have felt the stress and anxiety surrounding childhood adversity and trauma, natural disasters (hurricanes and flooding), the COVID-19 pandemic, historical racial inequities and civil unrest. If you are seeking ways to help unite our community to heal from the hurt and move past the pain, join the “Resilient Columbus” conversation.

For more information, call 910-499-4548. Like the Resilient Columbus Facebook @Resilientcolumbus.


Amazon makes it SO EASY to donate to Columbus County Partnership for Children with each purchase you make.

Here is how it works: Click the link ( smile.amazon.com/ch/56-1966108 ) and choose Columbus County Partnership for Children as your charitable organization on the AmazonSmile "supporting" banner along the top left of the page. On your laptop or computer, visit  smile.amazon.com and bookmark it to your favorites or sidebar. Use the AmazonSmile bookmark whenever you shop on Amazon.

On your mobile device, visit  smile.amazon.com and add it as a shortcut to your home screen. Amazon’s mobile apps don’t work with AmazonSmile so be sure to use the shortcut on your home screen to launch AmazonSmile in your mobile browser before purchasing the items in your cart.
Partnership Activities for 2020-2021
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
The Imagination Library provides books to children living in Columbus County. Each month, children ages birth to five, who are registered for the program receive a brand new book mailed directly to their homes. The books are free of charge to the family. For more information, call 910-212-6352.

Quality Enhancement Project 
This project helps licensed child care programs increase the level of star rated licensure and the level of provider education. Professional Development services are also available for facilities that complete an Educational Facility Plan. Teachers in these facilities who are attending school may be eligible for Educational Awards. For assistance, call 910-642-8226.

Raising A Reader
This project helps child care providers work with families to build and maintain the home-based language and literacy experiences young children need for later school success. By rotating high quality children’s literature into homes each week, Raising A Reader’s research-based program helps children and parents develop the habit of “book cuddling.” Families also build the connections to libraries that result in lasting family literacy habits and improved outcomes for children. For assistance, call 910-642-8226.

Reach Out and Read
This project prepares America’s youngest children to succeed by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourages families to read together. At each well child visit, children between the age of six months and five years receive brand new, age and developmentally appropriate books to keep and their parents receive guidance on the importance of reading aloud to their children. For assistance, call 910-642-8226.

Ready, Set, Go! 
This activity provides early identification of special needs and enhances the provision of early intervention services to ensure positive outcomes for all children ages birth to five in child care settings. For assistance, call 910-618-9260.

Smart Start Early Learning Facility
The Early Learning Facility provides child development resources which parents and providers can use to enhance the early care and education of young children. A variety of children’s books, videos, topic resource books, resource kits and toys, a computer with Internet access and other resources are available to library members at a nominal fee. Training and workshops are offered as well as consumer materials in Spanish. For assistance, call 910-212-6352.

Smart Start Subsidy 
This scholarship program provides assistance with the cost of child care to qualified parents with children ages birth to five. For assistance, call 910-642-3178. 

Transportation
Expectant mothers and children ages birth to five who are not eligible for Medicaid reimbursable transportation can be transported to and from medical appointments. For assistance, call Joy Jacobs at 910-642-7201

WAGE$  
This project provides child care professionals with education-based salary supplements and addresses teacher turnover and increased teacher educational levels. For assistance, call Allison Miller at 919-967-3272.    
Biblioteca de imaginación de Dolly Parton
La Biblioteca de Imaginación de Dolly Parton ofrece libros para niños que viven en el Condado de Columbus. Cada mes, los niños de entre 5 y 5 años de edad, que están registrados en el programa, reciben un libro nuevo enviado directamente a sus hogares. Los libros son gratuitos para la familia. Para más información, llame al 910-212-6352.​

Proyecto del realce de calidad
Este proyecto ayuda a los programas de cuidado infantil certificados a incrementar el nivel de rendimiento y el nivel de educación provehida. Servicios profesionales del desarrollo estan disponibles para facilidades que completen un Plan Educativo. Maestros en estas facilidades que asisten a las escuelas pueden ser eligibles para resivir un Premio Educativo. Llame 910-642-8226.

Creando un lector
Esta actividad con los centros de cuidado infantil o guarderías con licencias promueve el intercambio diario de libros entre los padres y sus hijos. Cada niño recibirá una brillante bolsa roja llena de libros de alta calidad, libros apropiados para la edad de sus hijos que se rotaran semanalmente. Llame 910-642-8226 .

Lee y Alcanzaras
Lee y alcanzaras prepara a los niños más pequenos de Estados Unidos a tener éxito en su futuro, esto lo hacen asociándose con los medicos que prescriben libros a sus pacientes para alentar a las familias a leer juntos. En cada visita para su chequeo físico anual, los niños entre la edad de seis meses y cinco años reciben libros nuevos apropiados para su desarrollo y los padres reciben también orientación sobre la importancia de leerle a sus hijos. Para más información llame 910-642-8226.

¡En sus marcas, listos, fuera!
Esta actividad provee temprana identificación de las necesidades especiales y mejora la temprana intervención en los servicios y asegurar resultados positivos para todos los niños desde la edad del nacimiento hasta los cinco años en los centros de cuidado infantil o guarderías. Llame 910-618-9260.

Smart Start Centro de Aprendizaje Temprano
La centro de aprendizaje temprano provee recursos de desarrollo infantil que padres y proveedores pueden usar para el crecimiento del cuidado y la educación temprana para los bebes y niños.La variedad de libros para niños, videos, libros con temas de recursos, artículos y juguetes, computadora con acceso al internet y otros recursos que están disponibles para los miembros de la centro a un minimo pago. Entrenamientos y cursos como también materiales en español. Llame 910-212-6352.

Smart Start Subcidio
Este programa de becas provee asistencia con los costos para el cuidado de niños para calificar padres con niños desde la edad del nacimiento hasta los cinco años. Llame 910-642-3178.

Transportacion
Madres embarazadas y con niños recién nacidos hasta la edad de cinco años que no son elegibles para el reembolso del Medicaid también pueden ser transportadas, y para sus citas medicas. Llame Joy Jacobs en 910-642-7201.

Pagos                         
Este proyecto provee de profesionales del cuidado infantil, suplementos educación-basada del sueldo y trata volumen de ventas del profesor y niveles de enseñanza, crecimientos del profesor. Llame Allison Miller en 919-967-3272.
Your donation is a great way to get involved with the community and the best way to make a difference in the future of a child. Columbus County Partnership for Children accepts donations of services, products, and monetary contributions.

All donations are tax deductible.
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