The Partnership is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that every child in Orange County arrives at school healthy and ready to succeed. We focus on the early years of a child's life—from birth to age five—which is the most critical time in a child's development.

The Partnership works collaboratively with the community to identify issues and create solutions to the concerns facing young children and families. We design and fund model programs to ensure children and their families have the resources they need to get off to a smart start. Our programs focus on early childhood education, child health care, early intervention, parenting education and family support.

On Sunday January 24th the Young Children's Art Exhibit opening was at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro. The event kicked off the year long tour of this year's sleections across Orange County.

The event was attended by close to 100 friends and family of the young artists as well as local dignitaries such as Orange County Com. Bernadette Pelissier, who spoke on the importance of art in our children's lives. 

Once again we would like to thank all our young artists, their parents and the sponsors for helping us with this event and this coming year's tour.

With recent reporting completed, the Orange County Partnership for Young Children which oversees the Smart Start and More at Four programs, and the more than 15 different agencies and programs it collaborates with, saw a continued increase in the overall quality and scope of its early childhood programs. The Performance Based Incentive System (PBIS) report showed gains in the number of children enrolled in care, and the children that are enrolled, are participating in some of the highest rated childcare programs in the state. The number of all children receiving the highest quality child care has increased by more than a quarter (26%) since 2001, and nearly half of that (10%) was in the last year alone.

Specific gains in early childhood mental health services have seen positive gains with  families that deal with the devastating effects of mental illness. The Partnership’s commitment to those children and their families has led to 100% of special needs children being served by only the highest quality childcare facilities.

Efforts to increase professionalism in child care staff have proved successful as well. The administrators of all child care facilities have substantially improved their educational levels, shown by a more than 10% increase in education points in just two years.

2010-11 Continuing Funding Application Forms are due no later 5pm Monday February 15th.

Forms should be submitted via email to Program Research Assistant Cate Graziani at cgraziani@orangesmartstart.org. For any questions call Cate 919-967-9091 ext. 212

• 10-11 Continuation Funding request
• Line Item Justification Example 10-11
• Line item justification form
• match justification example 10-11
• match justification form 10-11
• budget summary 10-11

UPDATE!

A delegation of more than ten representatives from Orange County recently attended the Smart Investing forum in Greensboro. The topic was the importance of ealry investment in our children. The crowd was a diverse mix of local business orangizations and other non-profits. This meeting set-up a regional conference that will be held in March in Durham.

For Additional Information click here

SEE PHOTOS OF THE MEETING BELOW

NCSECC CODE: 3512

The Orange County Partnership for Young Children

1829 East Franklin St.
Suite 1200-C
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

P:919-967-9091
F:919-933-1008
ocpyc@orangesmartstart.org

09-10 Board Meeting Calendar