"...We earnestly support any efforts of our local
Partnership to identify and serve four-year old children
at risk. Our position would include providing support
in any capacity necessary to our local Partnerships in
their endeavors to help these young children succeed in
life. This support would be collaborative, innovative,
effective and accountable. We are committed, as is
our Partnership, to help young children succeed in life." --Anna
F. Finch, President
- Cape Fear Valley Health System
Cape Fear Valley Health System supports the Partnership
for Children's application for the "More at Four" grant.
Cape Fear Valley Health System has worked collaboratively
with the Partnership for several years on improving children's
readiness for school and for maintaining a healthy child...." --Richard
Parks, CEO
- Cumberland County Mental Health Center
"This letter is written in support of the Partnership
for Children of Cumberland County and the Cumberland County
School System's grant application for the More at Four
Pre-Kindergarten Program. Even though we have a well
developed system of services in Cumberland County for young
children, there are still many who are at risk and are
not receiving the benefits of early intervention....The
Partnership for Children and the school system have done
wonderful things for our children in Cumberland County
but again there are still many children who are not identified
and receiving those needed early intervention services. With
the addition of the More at Four Program as another piece
of the continuum, we will be able to impact even more the
lives of young children and prepare them to be successful." --Debbie
Jenkins, Director- Child & Family Services
- Department of Social Services
"The Cumberland County Department of Social Services
welcomes the opportunity to join with other local partners
in the development of a comprehensive program to address
the needs of at-risk four-year-old children. The
needs of these children and their families, our agency's
extensive history of successful local collaboration, and
the already established internal and external infrastructure
for delivery of services affords Cumberland County Department
of Social Services a critical role in the More-at-Four
Pre-Kindergarten Initiative. Currently Cumberland
County Department of Social Services has ninety-eight four-year-old
children on a waiting list for subsidized child care....Cumberland
County demographics validate our community's need for a
More-at-Four Pre-Kindergarten Initiative. The established
agency and community infrastructure for service delivery
and coordination will enable Cumberland County to quickly
implement and provide needed services to at-risk four-year-old
children. Cumberland County Department of Social
Services welcomes the opportunity to participate in this
much needed community-based initiative." --William
F. Scarlett, Director
- Children’s Developmental Services Agency
"The Children’s Developmental Services Agency
is pleased to provide a letter in support of the grant
application for the More at Four Program in Cumberland
County. Over the past six years, Cumberland County
has been successfully addressing the early care and education
needs of young children through the Smart Start collaboration
under the Partnership for Children. The More at Four
Program will provide much needed additional resources in
the continuation of our communities mission to ensure all
children enter school healthy and ready to succeed.....The
Developmental Evaluation Center fully supports this Project
and will work closely with the Partnership for Children
and other Cumberland County early intervention providers
to offer this opportunity to further strengthen the early
care and education of the large population of at-risk young
children in Cumberland County." --Ann Crane,
Director
- Fascinate-U Children's Museum
"I am writing this letter in support of the Partnership
for Children of Cumberland County and the Cumberland County
School System's grant application for the More at Four
pre-kindergarten program. Cumberland County has a
large number of preschoolers. While local programs
reach many of these children, others fall through the cracks....The
Partnership for Children of Cumberland County, their contracted
service organizations, and the Cumberland County School
System have been providing outstanding programs and services
for over ten years. The addition of the More at Four
Program to identify and engage those children who are not
currently being served, can only act to strengthen what
we already have in place." --Susan K. Daniels,
President
- Fayetteville Museum of Art
"The Fayetteville Museum of Art provides training
for parents and teachers in both the Art Trunk and Parent
Kit programs....Through this training the Museum supports
The Creative Curriculum used by More at Four, a collaborative
initiative between the Cumberland County Partnership for
Children and Cumberland County Schools. Trunk training
for parents and educators provides methods of using hand-on
art lessons to meet the goals of the curriculum concerning
young children's progress: language development and
communication through art, and cognition and general knowledge
through the stages of art development. ...Talking, looking
and touching art objects are educational opportunities
provided through the Art Trunk/Parent Kit Project for pre-school
children." --Tom Grubb, Executive Director
"Cumberland Community Action Program, Inc. Head
Start fully supports the efforts of the Partnership for
Children of Cumberland County in its endeavor to secure
the "More at Four" grant award. Currently,
our Head Start Program has a waiting list of 280 four-year
old children who may not receive services this program
year. Such a grant would enable more at-risk four
year old children to receive quality early childhood education
services and provide school readiness opportunities that
would otherwise be unavailable. The Partnership for
Children of Cumberland County has a proven record of collaborating
with a variety of community based agencies to provide needed
services for young children. The "More at Four" grant
initiative will enhance their capacity to continue to assist
children and provide support for the families in need." --Valarie
Wylly, Director
- Lewis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church
"As stakeholders in the Cumberland County community,
members of this congregation are happily pleased at the
opportunity to partner with you in providing services to
four year olds. We are willing to provide facilities,
other services and items that might be needed. Since 1984,
Lewis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church has provided day
care services to children (infants through kindergarten)
and after schoolers. More at Four gives us additional
opportunities to serve children who are presently without
day care. We eagerly await directions from you so
that we can get prepared for January 2002." --John
D. Fuller, Sr., President
"...Partnership for Children and the school system
is and has done excellent things for our children in Cumberland
County but still we have not reached all the children who
need this help. We are willing to help in this effort
to become more successful in the needed early intervention
services to the families that have not been participating
as of yet. With the addition of the More At Four
Program as another piece in the continuum, we then will
be able to impact many more lives of the children that
need this early intervention assistance." --Dianna
Johnson, Director
- The Arc of Cumberland County
"I am pleased to hear of another opportunity to
serve families of young children, the "More at Four" project. The
Arc of Cumberland County is especially interested in serving
families of young children with special needs and/or disabilities....The
Arc of Cumberland County is always eager to work with other
agencies to provide a strong network of services for families. I
appreciate the efforts of SMART START in bringing this
together and I will do all I can to help." --Nancy
Szymkowiak, Executive Director
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