Families First in Cabarrus County is grateful to receive a $10,000 grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to support Increasing Adult Literacy Within Young Families, a project designed to help parents strengthen their own skills while building stronger learning environments for their children.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation supports literacy organizations serving learners of all ages in the communities Dollar General calls home. Its work is grounded in a simple belief: education creates hope, opens opportunities, and helps people move toward the futures they want for themselves and their families.

With this grant, Families First will serve 70 adults through English language acquisition, adult basic education, and GED or high school equivalency support. The project will connect adult instruction with ParentChild+, our home visiting program for families with young children. Rather than treating adult learning and early childhood development as separate needs, the project brings them together.

Participants will receive structured instruction in reading, writing, comprehension, and functional English that can be used in daily life, employment, health care, and communication with schools. Through weekly home visits and small group learning, parents will also practice reading, conversation, and language rich activities with their children. This approach helps adults build confidence as learners and as their children’s first teachers.

The project will operate over a 12 month period aligned with the 48 week ParentChild+ program cycle. Eight trained Learning Specialists, including native English and Spanish speakers, will provide culturally responsive instruction, coaching, assessments, and ongoing encouragement. Grant funds will help cover curriculum materials, program supplies, staff support, training, printing, technology, and professional development.

This support continues a relationship that has already made a meaningful difference for local families. In 2022, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation awarded Families First a $10,000 family literacy grant supporting bilingual preschool, ESL, GED preparation, tutoring, and ParentChild+ home visits.

One parent shared that after enrolling her daughter in Families First’s bilingual preschool, she went on to earn her GED and obtain her citizenship. Her family’s conversations became centered on school, possibility, and dreams for the future.

That story reflects why adult and family literacy matter. When a parent gains the confidence to complete a form, communicate with a teacher, pursue a credential, or read with a child, the impact reaches beyond one person. It strengthens the entire family and creates opportunities that can continue across generations.

We are thankful to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation for continuing to invest in Families First and in the parents working to build brighter futures for their children. Together, we are helping adults grow as learners, helping parents become stronger educational partners, and helping young children begin their own learning journeys surrounded by language, encouragement, and hope.

Families First is grateful to receive an $8,000 grant from Corning Community Impact. This support will help strengthen Family Home Child Care providers in Cabarrus County and North Mecklenburg, including both licensed and licensed-exempt home-based child care providers.

This investment comes at an important time for children, families, and providers.

More families are turning to Family Home Child Care because it offers flexible, relationship-based care in trusted settings. These small businesses and home-based care environments provide care close to home, support working parents, and create nurturing places where children can thrive.

At the same time, providers are facing new state requirements, growing demands, and increasing pressure to remain open while continuing to meet the needs of families. Many are working hard to improve quality, meet updated standards, and sustain the programs their communities depend on.

Because of Corning’s support, Families First can continue walking alongside providers through coaching, technical assistance, training, and resources that help them navigate these changes with confidence.

Just as important, Corning Community Impact has continued to show up in person.

For the past three years, Corning volunteers have joined Families First in visiting licensed and licensed-exempt child care homes, helping deliver encouragement, resources, appreciation, and connection directly to providers.

These visits are more than deliveries.

They are a reminder to providers that their work is seen, their role is valued, and their impact matters.

Over the years, many providers have shared that they feel more visible and appreciated because partners

are showing up at their doors, recognizing the care, education, and stability they provide every day.

That kind of presence matters.

It helps providers feel connected to a larger community of support while reinforcing the importance of Family Home Child Care as an essential part of the early childhood system.

When Family Home Child Care providers succeed, children gain access to stable, high-quality care. Parents also have the support they need to work with confidence. As a result, our whole community becomes stronger.

We are thankful for Corning Community Impact’s continued partnership, investment, and volunteerism. Together, we are helping protect child care access, meet the right needs at the right time, and make a bigger statement about the importance of home-based child care providers in our community and beyond.

Thank you, Corning, for supporting children, families, and Family Home Child Care providers across our community. We look forward to another year of showing up together.