Welcome! Families that are dealing with ASD have a unique journey.  This journey is often difficult, but often funny as well.  In this section, GPS invites our readers and families to share their personal stories of trials and success.  This is your opportunity to...

In our current pandemic environment, face masks have become an everyday norm.  Even as an adult, it can be challenging at time to wear a mask for prolonged periods of time, but these challenges are even greater for the youngest members of the community, especially...

Save the date for a free online premiere of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library's new documentary, 'The Library That Dolly Built: Celebrating the People Who Made Dolly's Dream Come True' on December 9 at 7:00pm EST! This exciting virtual event will feature a live...

Decades of research have shown that pre-kindergarten makes a difference in the school readiness of children. Not just in the short-term to get children ready to succeed in school, but in the long-term as children grow up, become employed, and contribute to the...

Mecklenburg County's Department of Social Services (DSS) has teamed up with community partners to launch MeckBetterTogether.  This initiative was created to maximize the efforts of child and family caring agencies to support families and focus on the safety and...

Virtual Weekly Sessions Thursdays | 10am - 12pm* *Beginning October 1While a child’s autism diagnosis can rock the world of young families, connecting with other parents who are facing similar issues can be an incredible help. Join Amy DeShazo, Autism Coordinator of...

To raise awareness for literacy issues that exist within our own community as well as globally, we invite you to join us in celebration of International Literacy Day, September 8. Each day, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL), a funded program of Smart Start of...

Dear community members, We invite you to join us in observation of International Day of Charity on September 5. This special day is dedicated to recognizing the positive impact that organizations have on local communities, and Smart Start of Mecklenburg County is...

Income Restrictions Lifted to Help Families Impacted by COVID-19 MECK Pre-K will reopen with in-person instruction for the 2020-2021 school year. In order to ensure that children, families, teachers and providers feel safe and prepared for back to school, the...

Smart Start of Mecklenburg County is excited to announce our FY20-21 grant recipients! We are proud to partner with these area organizations to build a strong system of support for our young children and their families.  Smart Start of Mecklenburg’s mission is to...

You are invited to the Guiding Parents to Services (GPS) Virtual Parent Support Group. All meetings use the Zoom platform (you are not required to have Zoom to participate) and are 10am-11am.  These meetings are open to parents and caregivers of children 0-5 years old...

Dear community members, We invite you to join us in observation of National Nonprofit Day. This special day is dedicated to recognizing the positive impact that organizations have on local communities, and Smart Start of Mecklenburg County is proud to take part. On...