February 17, 2022

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Ina Colón-Villafranca

Smart Start of Forsyth County

336-830-0968

inacv@smartstart-fc.org

Smart Start of Forsyth County, Incorporated

Winston-Salem, North Carolina — Smart Start of Forsyth County, Inc. (SSFC) is pleased to announce that it can now start the Parent Coalition for Adverse Childhood Experiences thanks to new grant funding from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The Kate B. Reynolds: Implementing Strategies to Prevent and Mitigate Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Grant will be used to inform the families that Smart Start of Forsyth County serves about what ACEs look like, how it negatively affects children, how parents who have experienced ACEs in their childhood can implement better practices for parenting behaviors, and more. With the $343,248 that will be awarded over the next three years, SSFC plans on creating a Parent Intervention Coalition that will conduct sessions about how ACESs is significantly associated with parenting stress, childhood traumatic events, maltreatment and witnessing family violence; exposure to parental incarceration, substance abuse, living in unsafe neighborhoods, in poverty, or financial hardship.

“This is a new beginning for Smart Start of Forsyth County, Inc. to make great strides to ensure that we are serving the families in our community in all capacities,” said Louis A. Finney Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Smart Start of Forsyth County, Inc.

SSFC is a public/private partnership corporation that ensures that children, birth to five years of age, are prepared for school and life. The organization believes that all children deserve opportunities to quality and equal education, be happy and healthy, and reach their full potential. SSFC understands that the contributing factors to ACEs include but are not limited to systemic poverty, racism, ongoing uninhabitable living conditions in public housing, workforce development, economic mobility, and equitable childcare. Therefore, SSFC plans to engage with parents from low-income neighborhoods, educators from WSFCS, and educators in private childcare homes to reduce the toxic stress that leads to ACEs in children. SSFC looks forward to coordinating with existing culturally aligned collaboratives to prevent repetitive programming and ensure high community engagement.

Smart Start of Forsyth County, Incorporated was founded in 1994 and has served thousands of children and families in Forsyth County by providing scholarships for educators and childcare services, sharing the importance of early childhood literacy, and promoting the development of social interaction. Reggie McCaskill is the chair of the board of directors.

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The Kate B. Reynolds Trust was established in 1947 and is now one of the largest private trusts in North Carolina. Our mission is to improve residents' health and quality of life in Forsyth County and around North Carolina. The Health Improvement in North Carolina program area supports equitable access to care and equitable health outcomes across the state. The Local Impact in the Forsyth County program area works to foster an inclusive economy and improve the quality of life in Forsyth County. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., serves as sole trustee.