2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT
To collaborate with community partners, empower local families and caregivers to prepare young children for school success by maximizing public and private community resources to ensure that every child arrives at school prepared to learn.
Bamberg County First Steps will increase the reach of First Steps services in our community.
By 2023, the percentage of children in need who are directly served by Bamberg County First Steps will increase from 15% to 20%.
The years of early childhood are a critical window of development during which much of human potential is shaped. Families are the single most important influence on the development of their children.
The work of supporting families and caregivers is a collaborative effort between state and local stakeholders within the public, private and faith sectors.
Bamberg County First Steps will increase the capacity of parents to be their child’s first and most important teachers by expanding the Parents as Teachers Strategy.
To improve and strengthen families, Bamberg County First Steps will offer DSS Childcare Scholarships to working families and those attending school.
Bamberg County First Steps will improve the quality of Childcare Training by offering professional developmentally appropriate coursework to local early care providers.
Bamberg County First Steps will serve as a community convener to address the needs of preschool children in the community, in support of state readiness priorities
3788 Faust Street/PO Box 1129, Bamberg, SC 29003 | 803-245-6749 | www.scfirststeps.org/bamberg
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Pauletta Plowden ExecutiveDirector BambergCounty FirstSteps
“Bamberg County First Steps, a “National Blue Ribbon”, Parents as Teachers Affiliate, is very proud to serve as an “Early Childhood School Readiness Champion” for Bamberg County, South Carolina. Through working collaboratively with our community schools, daycare providers, local and state partners and our community’s youngest learners with their families, our partnership has provided a strong and healthy start for getting our children ready for the first grade!”
To ensure high quality school readiness by age five, our children require a positive, supportive and loving home and learning environment. Bamberg County First Steps provides a professional strategic comprehensive plan, to ensure that all children in our county are prepared and empowered for future scholastic success.
We are committed to excellence and are thankful to our State Legislators, State Board/Office of First Steps, Bamberg County School District, our community partners, families and friends for your loyal and valued support for over twenty-two years of early childhood investment!
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MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
Tracy Golden Board Chair
BambergCounty FirstStepsBoard ofTrustees
It gives me the greatest of pleasure to serve as Bamberg County First Steps Board Chair. Since becoming a member of the board, I have enjoyed being a part of the community projects that have been developed for the families of First Steps and the local community. I understand their dedicated work to make sure children are reading by first grade.
Bamberg County First Steps Board has an extraordinarily rich and collaborative community environment I enjoy our board meetings because I always leave with valuable information to share with the community about the excellent job our First Steps program is doing I enjoy hearing about their parenting program each month and all the impressive activities that are done The innovative methods used during COVID-19 to make sure their parents were still actively engaged with them was superlative
Our board works collaboratively to make sure our children and families in Bamberg County are provided continuous support and resources by connecting with our board members, school district and community partners and agencies. Bamberg County First Steps Board is dedicated to each child achieving success in learning and leading them to reach their full potential.
Sincerely,
Tracy Golden
Tracy Golden, Chair
Bamberg County First Steps Board of Trustees
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5 Every child in Bamberg County will arrive at school ready to learn!
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My son, Jayceon has been enrolled in the First Steps Scholarship Program since he was a baby. He is doing outstanding at the First Baptist Church Daycare. He knows basic skills and is ready for kindergarten! I am very proud to be a part of this program!
L. Cramer, Parent
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My Son, Logan, is 15 months and growing up so fast. My parent educator is Mrs Burch is very helpful and caring We talked about Logan’s development, reading more books and trying to get him to use fine and gross motor skills Logan enjoys listening to books and playing with his learning toys. The program is fantastic! I was a First Steps baby, then my little brother, now Logan. Thanks to the First Steps program and staff for getting our kids ready for school and daycare
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Addressing the needs of young children is a shared endeavor. In addition to providing services to families and support for child care providers, Bamberg County First Steps mobilizes partners and community members to ensure all children in Bamberg County begin school ready to succeed.
We serve as a:
12 Local Portal and Convener Meetings 19 School Readiness Collaborative Engagements
Through partnerships and collaborations, as well as financial support from grants and contributions, Bamberg County First Steps leverages state dollars to enhance and expand services to children and families.
FUNDING SUPPORT
State of South Carolina: $200,000 (through SC First Steps)
Bamberg County Recreation Grant: 1,859.50
Tri-County Community Foundation: $500.00
Senator Brad Hutto: $100.00
Bamberg Family Practice: $500.00
Awena Hurst: $300.00
Phoenix Specialty Manufacturing: $200.00
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Eta Nu Chapter): $100.00
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Nu Tau Omega Chapter): $150.00
Greenville Technical College Training Grant / SC Endeavors: $2,000.00
Mary Jane School of Dance $50.00
Carolyn Watson $50.00
Danny Singleton $10.00
Brabham Oil Company $100.00
Enterprise Bank $150.00
JOIN US
For more information on partnership opportunities, visit our website at www.scfirststeps.org/bamberg
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Through partnerships and collaborations, as well as financial support from grants and contributions, Bamberg County First Steps leverages state dollars to enhance and expand services to children and families.
FUNDING SUPPORT
Carla Geter $50.00
Patricia Harley $25.00
City of Bamberg $100.00
Evert Comer $50.00
Lisa Thomas $100.00
Mellinda Tyler $25.00 Sheryl Gardner $50.00 Linda Fair $25.00
Ernestine Barnwell $75.00
JOIN US
www.scfirststeps.org/bamberg
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For more information on partnership opportunities, visit our website at
SUPPORT Amazing Grace Ministries Aerospace UTC Bamberg School District One Devon Blume Furr Dolline Tucker
IN-KIND
Through partnerships and collaborations, as well as financial support from grants and contributions, Bamberg County First Steps leverages state dollars to enhance and expand services to children and families.
IN-KIND SUPPORT
Tracy Golden Connie Anderson
Bamberg Public Works
Bamberg County Disabilities & Special Needs Board
Lisa & Douglas Stokes
Renne Brown
Dixiana Wholesale
SCORH/Family Solutions
JOIN US
For more information on partnership opportunities, visit our website at www.scfirststeps.org/bamberg
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State Funding Federal Funding Private Funding In-Kind Contributions Total ParentsasTeachers $85,489.05 $40,089.33 $1,650.31 $137,642.00 $264,870.69 ChildCareScholarships $29,730.61 $21,000.00 $19.68 $15,410.00 $66,160.29 ChildCareTraining $29,549.35 $0 $174.44 $3,556.00 $33,279.79 Partnerships&CommunityEducation $22,100.25 $2,000.00 $159.55 $3,488.00 $27,747.80 AdministrativeSupport $18,598.10 $0 $365.49 $2,621.00 $21,584.59 TotalExpenses $185,467.36 $63,089.33 $2,369.47 $162,717.00 $413,643.16 0% 100% Since inception, Bamberg County First Steps has leveraged $3,162,863.82 from sources outside of state government. That’s $0.85 for every state dollar. 14 Expenditures of State Funds by Program Type
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kristine Autry, Board Co-Chair
Ernestine Barnwell
Ann Boykin
Linda Fair
Johnell Gaines, Secretary
Tracy Golden, Board Chair
Larry Haynes
Tarea Grimes Mason
Heather Mount
Lindsey Toomer
Mellinda Tyler Shanquita Youmans
STAFF
Pauletta Plowden, Executive Director
Erica Smith, Program Manager/Parenting Supervisor
Shaniqua Burch, Parent Educator
US
CONTACT
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3788 Faust Street/Post Office Box 1129, Bamberg, SC 29003 | 803-245-6513 (Office) 803-245-6523 (Fax) | www.scfirststeps.org/bamberg
Total number of documents printed: 12. Cost per unit: $15.71. Total printing cost: $188.57.
