May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The purpose of this event is to encourage and help parents navigate insightful conversations with their children. Andy Hagler from the Mental Health Association in Forsyth County will be sharing information about the services and resources MHA provides for children and their families. We hope you'll join us! Click here to register!

All registrants will be entered in a drawing to win a $100 gift card!

Upcoming Community Events

FaithAction ID Drive

Join us at the ID Drive hosted by the Hispanic League on June 9th from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 5490 Shattalon Dr., Winston-Salem, NC

We will be present with SSFC resources and books!

IDs need to be renewed each year. Renewals and first time ID recipients must pay a $10 cash fee. To make an appointment call 336-270-9210

Hispanic League Fundraiser

The Hispanic League has joined forces with Charlotte FC. They are committed to supporting non-profits in the Carolinas by helping fans support causes and organizations that are important to them.

Join the Hispanics Leagues Fundraising efforts and enjoy a soccer game in Charlotte on June 11th at 3 p.m.

Click here for tickets and more information!

Juneteenth Festival

Join us on Saturday, June 18th from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. as we participate in the Juneteenth Festival hosted by Triad Cultural Arts, Inc. Smart Start of Forsyth County's booth will be located inside of Biotech Place.

We will be giving away free resources, books, educational materials and more. Make sure you stop by our table!

For more information about the event, click here!

Job Fair!

The Forsyth County Department of Social Services will be hosting on June 7th, 2022 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The job fair will be at 741 North Highland Ave, Winston-Salem 27101.

To view the full flyer and for more specific details, click here!

Senior Services Ground Breaking

Congratulations to Senior Services for their groundbreaking ceremony for their Intergenerational Center for Arts and Wellness on April 27th. The projected completion date is Fall 2023.

A plethora of City and State Representatives were in attendance for the ceremony. They all spoke about the importance of taking care of the seniors in our community.

We'd also like to congratulate The Hispanic League which will be located in the new building!

CCRC Luncheon & Silent Auction

On May 3rd some SSFC staff members attended a Luncheon hosted by Child Care Resource Center.

The luncheon was held to raise funds and bring awareness to the disparities in the child care industry. The founder of CCRC, Donna Lambeth was honored for her legacy.

Congratulations to Judge Denise Hartsfield and Mrs. Karatha Scotss for being recognized as children's champions at this years event!

Family Services: Raising NC

SSFC was well represented at the ACEs: Raising Every Child event hosted by Family Services on May 5th! We enjoyed networking and a great lunch while "Stacking the Deck Against ACEs".

Juwon Crowell, our Projects Director, did an incredible job serving on the panel with Dr. Robert Anda (co-founder of the ACEs study). We are excited to continue informing our community about the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences by developing more partnerships with organizations in Forsyth County.

Twin City Kiwanis Club

We'd like to thank the Twin City Kiwanis club for inviting to our luncheon on Wednesday, May 11th.

Our CEO, Dr. Louis Finney, our CSO, Garet Beane, our CPO, Tabitha McAllister, and our Projects Director, Juwon Crowell did an amazing job sharing the programs and services SSFC provides to our community. The Twin City Kiwanis Club have been great supporters of SSFC and we couldn't be more appreciative. We look forward to further developing our partnership!

Staff Highlight: Melissa Estler

Meet Melissa Estler, our May Staff Highlight and the Director of Continuous Quality Improvement and Partnerships. Melissa joined the Smart Start of Forsyth County in March 2020. As the Director of Continuous Quality Improvement and Partnerships, Melissa’s responsibilities are centered around compliance and program coordination. Melissa enjoys volunteering and fostering with the Humane Society of Forsyth County. She also has a passion for supporting locally owned businesses that emphasize and lift the voices of POC and LGBTQIA+ individuals. Lastly, she has a love for gardening and farming; she has considered developing a non-profit that would address issues of not only food deserts, but also reducing recidivism by utilizing the labeling theory of social deviance. Melissa, thank you for all you do and for being an insightful asset to SSFC!

Dolly Parton Imagination Library

Smart Start of Forsyth County currently serves 12,958 children through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Our goal is to serve 13,000 children in Forsyth County with a free book delivered right to their doorstep by the end of 2022. Thanks to funding from the North Carolina General Assembly, we believe that we can reach our goal! To share the DPIL program with someone else, click here!

Book of the Month: Lissy's Friends

Lissy's Friends is a book about a young girl struggling to make new friends. Eventually, Lissy begins to make friends with her origami creations.

Her creations lead her to make friendships with others through her creations. This book is a great source to help your little ones explore friendships and how they change over time!