Each Child. Every Community.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE = February 24, 2017 Press Contact: Heather Strickland - 919-821-9564, hstrickland@smartstart.org Two Smart Start Local Partnerships Take the Lead on Fighting Early Childhood Obesity – Wake County SmartStart (WCSS) and the Down East Partnership for Children (DEPC)...

Congratulations to Wilkes Community Partnership for Children for receiving a  grant from the Carolina Panthers and the NFL. This grant will be used to purchase 40 activity kits for the Be Active Kids training program. The NFL/United Way Hometown Huddle...

Join us in congratulating this most recent cohort of BFCCD awardees! Five Gold-Starred Building Block Designation: Hawfields Child Care- Mebane, NC Two Gold-Starred Building Block Designation: Covenant Child Care Center, Inc. - Statesville, NC Piaget Childcare Management of Fairgrove;...

Three Year Results Show Significant Improvements in Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in Child Care Programs Across the State. RALEIGH, NC — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) Foundation announced today the award of a $3 million...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Heather Strickland - hstrickland@smartstart.org, 919-821-9564 Expert Taskforce Releases Recommendations for Obesity Prevention for State’s Youngest Children Shape NC Highlighted as Key Part of Strategy to Create Healthier NC RALEIGH, NC — A taskforce comprised of child care and...

ASHEBORO, N.C. - Thousands of children across North Carolina are learning to play in the dirt again. It's part of a statewide effort to increase the health and nutrition education for children and their families called Shape NC. In...

Shape NC, a partnership between The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) Foundation and  The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. (NCPC) to address  early childhood obesity, is featured in a Clinton Global Initiative video. With a focus on the child care setting, Shape NC is increasing knowledge of nutrition and the importance of physical activity practices among young children, their families and teachers, with the goal of increasing the number of young children in child care at a healthy weight. Measures of success will include improved nutrition and physical activity practices in child care settings, healthier play environments and a state-level policy blueprint to impact the health of young children.

Smart Start announces second round of counties to implement Shape NC RALEIGH – Smart Start, the state’s award-winning early childhood initiative, has announced the next 10 communities selected to implement Shape NC: Healthy Starts for Young Children. Shape NC is...

As a young girl, Norma Bell learned to cook the classic Southern way from her mother, Mildred “Mama Dip” Council. Today, as director of Little Teddies Daycare off of Homestead Road, she is cutting the fat from her cooking...