Partnership for Children of Johnston County Nonprofit of the Year
PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN BUILDS THE FUTURE – ONE CHILD AT A TIME By Randy Capps
Anyone that's ever had a conversation with Dwight Morris, executive director for the Partnership for Children of Johnston County, will vouch for his passion for improving the lives of children. That same zeal flows through the entire organization, which is why the Partnership for Children of Johnston County is the choice for the 2019 Johnston Now Honors Nonprofit of the Year award. “The organization has been around for more than 20 years,” Morris said. “It's funded primarily at Smart Start, with state funds to help improve the quality of early childhood education. We work with children from prenatal care to age five. It's all about making sure all children are prepared to enter school at the right level.” There's already plenty of children in that age range, and with the rate of growth the county is experiencing, that number continues to climb. “There's about 11,500 kids in Johnston County under the age of five,” Beth Moore, head of the Family Services department, said. “Years ago, before the economy crashed, we used to have about 60 percent of those kids, zero to five, in licensed childcare. And now, that number has flip-flopped to about 40 percent. Hence, the creation of the Family Services department, because
we still have to find (those kids who aren't in licensed childcare).” Reaching children at that age is important for a number of reasons. “A child's mind is like a computer or a sponge,” Morris said. “It's there, ready for input. So, whatever that child gets in the early stage or in the beginning is how it's going to function. All the software is critical. All the right environments, all the right educational opportunities, critical thinking, learning opportunities — all of those things play into what kind of computer it's going to be and how it functions when that child gets to the next stage, to school. “Our mission is three-fold: education, health and family. Most of our funds are designated toward the education component. That's why we work very intently with licensed child care. … If you're going to promote quality, you have to invest in it.” Getting parents on board with the idea of preparing young children for their education isn't usually a tough sell, but the Partnership's mission actually affects everyone. “We're not just a children's nonprofit,” Morris said. “We're an economic engine. Children are the future economic workforce. One of
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the things the community college has told us that remediation is so intense and so difficult. That's because these kids come through school and they're not prepared. It all begins when they're young.” As with most nonprofits, the mission often outruns the money. Because the Partnership is a public/private model, it can seek other sources of funding. “We continue to run fast, like little chipmunks, to be creative,” Morris said. “That's how we hire our staff. Those who think, have energy and want to make a change and a difference.” That energy allows him and his staff to build relationships with community partners, which expands the reach and scope of the programs on offer. “It's critical,” he said. “One of my roles at the Partnership is to help build those relationships. It also happens because I encourage my leaders to take leadership roles throughout the community. We build alliances that way. It won't work if the community doesn't support us. We've had much more support in the last few years because all this stuff is starting to show. Proof in the pudding so to speak.” “We do rely on the (community)
champions that we recognize,” Moore added. “They all have critical impact in children and family's lives. Stronger families means stronger economy, stronger community — and we all get to do that together. I think that's one of the best things we do as an organization. We get to collaborate and work with other agencies to just provide the best services for kids and families. “We want successful, strong adults. And it starts before they're born.” The Partnership for Children of Johnston County works with with numerous programs, including the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, My Kids Club and Little Libraries — but it's the inclusion park project that is the most unique to the area. “I'm just so very proud of Johnston County for stepping up and creating something like that,” Morris said. “It did take a lot of partners to get there. I want people to remember that there's no place I can think of, at least in the southeast, where you have a Miracle Field and an inclusion park next to each other. It's an amazing quality of life component for our county, and we're totally inspired.” It's the sort of thing that keeps “all eyes on Johnston,” as Morris likes to say.
