North Carolina Partnership for Children Distributes $10 Million in Hurricane Helene Relief for Child Care Recovery
Raleigh, NC — The North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC) is proud to lead the distribution of $10 million in Hurricane Helene child care recovery funding, allocated by the North Carolina General Assembly as part of the state’s hurricane relief legislation passed in November 2024.
The relief funds, administered by the NC Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), are being distributed through Smart Start Local Partnerships serving counties with a federal disaster declaration due to Hurricane Helene. These funds are dedicated to supporting child care centers and family child care homes affected by the storm.
“We are grateful to the General Assembly for recognizing how essential child care is to the strength and recovery of our WNC communities,” said Amy Cubbage, President of the North Carolina Partnership for Children. “These funds will make a real difference for families and providers—ensuring children can return to safe, supportive learning environments and helping parents get back to work. It’s an investment in communities and our collective future.”
The first half of the $10 million was released to Local Partnerships at the end of February with efforts already underway in communities to assist providers with reopening and maintaining operations, including costs for cleaning, repairs, and relocation. Each Local Partnership is distributing these funds as needed within their communities.
With a presence in all 100 counties, NCPC and its network of 75 Smart Start Local Partnerships are working closely with communities to ensure funding reaches the providers who need it most.
“Our Local Partnerships in western North Carolina, along with their community partners, have already stepped up in remarkable ways—during the hurricane and in the months that followed,” Cubbage added. “They’ve worked tirelessly to meet immediate needs and are continuing to drive recovery efforts that will support children and families long-term. This funding supports that work.”
This investment is a powerful acknowledgment that early childhood systems are critical infrastructure for disaster response and long-term recovery. NCPC and the full Smart Start Network remain committed to ensuring all children and families in North Carolina can thrive—before, during, and after a crisis.
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About Smart Start and The North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC)
Smart Start is a network of 75 nonprofit local partnerships that serve all 100 North Carolina counties. This network is led by NCPC, which ensures fiscal and programmatic accountability and coordinates the statewide Smart Start Network to create better outcomes for children and families. For more information about Smart Start, visit www.smartstart.org.
