The Gift of Every First Step

Our children's first steps in life are about so much more than learning to walk. They are beginning to discover the world around them. Along the way come their first friendships, their first discoveries, and the little moments of confidence that come from trying something new. What may seem like small moments today help build the foundation for what lies ahead.

Each day opens up a little more of the world around them. They find new ways to express themselves, ask questions, share ideas, and take joy in the things they are learning.

As you consider your year-end giving, we hope you'll walk alongside us. Your gift to Region A Partnership for Children helps make these moments, and so many more, possible for children and families throughout our communities.

We know that helping children get a strong start also means supporting the parents, educators, and childcare providers who are part of their everyday lives.

Through NC Pre-K, more than 600 children participate in early learning across 46 classrooms. There, they have opportunities to ask questions, explore new ideas, make friends, and develop the skills they'll carry into kindergarten. Through Parents as Teachers and our family support programs, we walk alongside parents through the joys and challenges of their children's earliest years, offering encouragement, guidance, and connections to resources along the way. Our Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program sends over 3,000 books each month to inspire children to learn to love reading long before they go to “big school.”

We also partner with childcare providers and educators with training, coaching and salary supplements to strengthen the places where children spend their days learning, playing, and growing. Together, this work helps surround children and families with care and opportunity during those important early years.

At the heart of the work we do is a child taking another step forward, a family receiving support, or an educator making a difference. These are the moments worth celebrating. They remind us how much can be made possible when a community comes together around its youngest members.

As the year draws to a close, we have much to be grateful for: the families who welcome us into their lives, the educators who dedicate themselves to children, the partners who share in this work, and the supporters whose generosity helps make these opportunities possible. Each plays an important part in creating a strong beginning for children throughout our communities.

And there are so many more first steps still ahead.

As we look toward a new year, we hope you'll make a year-end gift to Region A Partnership for Children. Your generosity helps sustain early learning opportunities, strengthen support for families, and equip the childcare professionals and programs that shape children's earliest experiences. Together, we can give more children the strong beginnings they deserve, surrounded by the care, encouragement, and opportunities that help them learn, grow, and discover the world around them.

A child's journey is filled with firsts: a new friendship, a discovery, the joy of doing something for the first time. These moments may seem small, but together they help shape the years ahead. This season, we hope you'll give the gift of a strong beginning and help make those first steps possible for even more children across our communities.

Thank you for believing in our children and being part of their journey.

Sincerely,

Janice M. Edgerton, Executive Director