Developed by Wake County Smart Start, with the guidance and support from the NC Farm to ECE Initiative of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, and Go NAPSACC, REACH (Recognizing ECE’s Advancing Children’s Healthy Habits) recognizes ECE programs for meeting key best practices that support children’s health and healthy habits. The goals of REACH are to encourage ECE programs to go “above and beyond ” licensing, celebrate these achievements, and raise awareness of the important role that ECE programs play in promoting children’s health. REACH is in its pilot phase.
Partners from many different organizations have provided input during the development of REACH including: NC Partnership for Children, the NC Child Care Health & Safety Resource Center, NC Child and Adult Care Food Program, NC Division of Child Development and Early Education, the NC Rated License Assessment Project, the NC Division of Public Health, and the Western NC Steering Committee of the NC Oral Health Collaborative.
An advisory committee of Technical Assistance Consultants has also helped to shape the development of REACH. Thanks to:
- Natasha Bowden, Buncombe County Partnership for Children
- Stacy Daniels, Wilkes Community Partnership for Children
- Andee Edelson, Randolph County Partnership for Children
- Rachelle Gardner, One Place (Onslow County)
- Eunice Hill, Wilson County Partnership for Children
- Carmen Long, North Carolina Cooperative Extension – Surry and Alleghany Counties
- Trish Nelson, Guilford County Partnership for Children
- Beth Porreco, NC Child Care Health & Safety Resource Center
- Patty Sullivan, Randolph County Partnership for Children
An advisory committee of current and former ECE program administrators has also helped to shape the development of REACH. Thanks to:
- Shironda Brown, Center for Environmental Farming Systems, Raleigh NC
- Dani Ellis, Verner Center for Early Learning, Asheville NC
- Sandy Johnson, Friendly Avenue Christian Preschool, Greensboro NC
- Kim Shaw, A Safe Place Child Enrichment Center, Raleigh NC
- Ali Horny, A Kind Garden, Raleigh NC
These partners and so many others across the state have been steadily building a movement toward healthy childcare in NC. REACH seeks to support this movement.
With questions or for more information, e-mail us at REACHrecognition@gmail.com.
REACH Recognition 