Early Childhood Development

Every child is developmentally ready to succeed and thrive in school

Early Childhood Development

Bright minds support bright futures. For many years, The Cemala Foundation has invested in initiatives that support early childhood development. As Dr. Chris Payne, former Director of the UNCG Center for Youth, Family and Community Partnerships, has said, “All children are born with the capacity to learn. It is what happens between birth and the fifth birthday that determines whether or not children will enter school prepared for school success. These early years are the most robust, yet vulnerable years of life.” 

A report by The Brookings Institution’s Budgeting for National Priorities indicates that children who are nurtured from their earliest stages of development have the best chances of achieving life-long success. From the Carnegie Corporation of New York, we know that the single most important factor in early education and care is the relationship between the child and the caregiver. And, from the Partnership for America’s Economic Success, we know that investments in early childhood generate substantial financial returns, producing a rate of return of about 16 percent a year more than traditional economic development projects. 

Research convinces us that preparing children to be ready to learn saves education dollars, social service dollars, and criminal justice dollars. 

The Cemala Foundation’s investments in Early Childhood Development focus on two important initiatives, but extend to many other programs as well.  

Guilford Basics

The Cemala Foundation has partnered with Ready for School, Ready for Life to bring the Basics to Guilford County. The Basics are five fun, free, powerful and easy caregiving practices that promote brain growth and parents and childcare workers can use to help every child have a great start in life. 

Bringing Out the Best

Since 2009, Cemala has supported Bringing Out the Best (BOB), an early intervention program that provides family-centered, community-based services targeting children ages birth to five with social and emotional challenges.

BOB’s goal is to increase the number of children in Guilford County that are healthy and ready to succeed as they enter school.

 

Children's Museum

The Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum boasts more than 20 exhibits and the 30ft tall Neptune Climbers to inspire hands-on learning through play. The museum adds to the character and vitality of Greensboro’s downtown. The Cemala Foundation contributed to the startup capital campaign “Reaching Greater Heights”, the creation of the Outdoor Play Plaza, and to the renovation of the theatre.  

Invest Early NC

Invest Early NC is a network of NC-based funders who promote the development of a comprehensive early childhood system that benefits all children, families, the workforce and communities in North Carolina. The Vision: North Carolina’s children arrive at kindergarten healthy and ready for school and are succeeding by the end of third grade.  

Reach Out and Read

Reach Out and Read, in partnership with clinicians, educates families on the importance of shared reading as the foundation for early literacy and healthy relationships. At each well-child visit, parents and caregivers receive guidance from medical staff and a new book to read with their children at home.   

 

Ready, Ready

Early childhood development and education are vital to a child’s quality of life and to the strength of our community. Preparing children to be ready to learn helps our community and is simply a smart investment. Ready Ready is Guilford County’s backbone organization for early childhood development. 

 

Salvation Army Child Care Center

Housed at the Royce and Jane Reynolds Center for Worship and Boys & Girls Club on Freeman Mill Road, The Salvation Army’s five-star childcare center provides quality childcare to families in East Greensboro. The Center has capacity for 38 children, 8 infants, 30 toddlers and pre-k children, and is important to supporting early childhood development in Greensboro.