Help support our efforts!
Learn more about Who We Are & What We Do by downloading our brochure
After 10 years of early childhood activities in Centre County, our expected State grant of $50,000 (over 60% of our annual budget) has been eliminated. Smart Start-Centre County is a unique collaboration of early childhood teachers and administrators, families, and business and medical professionals dedicated to leading and supporting community efforts to improve the health, care, and education of young children.
Support from our community is critical to helping maintain the many valuable services and resources we provide to families, professionals, early childhood programs, and elementary schools in Centre County.
To help support our efforts, click here to make an online donation.
Lower funding impacts our ability to serve the community and threatens:
- Kindergarten Readiness & Transition
- Collaborations between 15 elementary schools and 45 early childhood programs to make entry into Kindergarten a success for children and families
- Countdown to Kindergarten free public event attended by over 600 families over the past 5 years
- Support for Early Childhood Professionals & Programs
- workshops for teachers
- Early Childhood Mental Health Speaker Series, featuring over 20 presenters whose sessions have been attended by professionals, teachers, and parents to improve the wellness and education of hundreds of Centre County children and their families
- Annual Children's Art Show to increase public awareness of young children and showcase the creativity of hundreds of Centre County children over the past 8 years
- Education & Support for Parents of Young Children
- 10 scholarships for families with demonstrated need to send their children to Pre-Kindergarten programs over the past 4 years
- free "Babies Rock with Books," "Family Resource Directory," and "First Letter to our Baby" for all families of newborns at Mount Nittany Medical Center ($2500/year value) emphasizing the importance of the early years for children's success in school and in life
- informative website, monthly e-newsletter, and monthly "For the Children" parenting column in the Centre Daily Times
We are proud of what we accomplish at Smart Start-Centre County, and we do it with very little money, a very small staff, and many dedicated volunteers. We believe that providing resources for the development of our youngest children is vital.
We are asking for your help, so that Smart Start-Centre County can continue its meaningful work this summer and beyond. If YOU and everyone else receiving this email donates just $50, you will have replaced our State funding for this year and validated this community's support for parents, professionals, early childhood programs, and elementary schools in Centre County to provide the best possible care and education for our youngest children. Your support will have a direct impact on our future generations.
You can make a secure online donation to Smart Start-Centre County through paypal by clicking here now.
Every gift, no matter the size, helps us remain a valuable resource for parents, professionals, teachers, and schools in our community. Thank you for your support.
Anyone who donates $25 or more to Smart Start-Centre County will receive a FREE copy of our first annual Art Show Poster.
What's New!
Kindergarten Registration
For more details, follow the district's website.
Our Mission: Smart Start-Centre County leads and supports community efforts to improve the health, care, and education of young children.
Our Vision is that all young children in Centre County will have the best possible start in life through excellent parenting practices, workplace policies, community services, government support, and early care and education programs.
The Smart Start-Centre County network acts as a clearinghouse for information, an advocate for early childhood, and a support vehicle for existing and new projects. Our volunteers use the existing skills and resources of our network members within the rich and diverse environment of Centre County to formulate coalitions, plans, projects, and funding opportunities.
