Wake County Smart Start

Gov. Hunt launched the Smart Start initiative in North Carolina over 25 years ago, His vision was to ensure that every child start school healthy and ready to learn. Soon after, the Wake County Smart Start local partnership was born. We are one of 75 current partner organizations under the umbrella organization North Carolina Partnership for Children. Wake County Smart Start, the 2nd largest in the state, serves Wake County including its 12 municipalities. Wake County Smart Start works to ensure that children with the greatest needs, birth to five, are prepared for success in school and in life ahead. Working at the county level, we help young children and their families access much-needed programs, from at-home visits that empower parents, to placements in free, high-quality preschools. Through community collaborations and funding of local partners, we work to create an early childhood care and education system where everyone, children, parents and educators, thrive. Last fiscal year Wake County Smart Start reached over 40,000 children – at home, in school and in their communities.