With the vision for every child in Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties to arrive at school healthy and ready to succeed, the mission of the Blue Ridge Partnership for Children (BRPFC) is to enhance the lives of children birth to five and their families, through collaborative efforts that provide expanded and continuing opportunities for optimal growth and development. BRPFC envisions the entire community sharing with families the responsibility for our children growing up in a healthy, safe, nurturing environment that instills hope, encourages dreams, maximizes potential and produces productive citizens.

BRPFC, a public-private Smart Start initiative led by a committed Board of Directors, and has a strong history of galvanizing our community to effectively and creatively use limited resources to develop local solutions to our challenges.

BRPFC strives to ensure that every child in our region has access to services that enable them to enter school healthy and ready to succeed. Accepting this inclusive mission, we are charged with addressing all issues and determinates of school readiness.

Investment in early childhood is an investment in our future. Research shows that children enrolled in high quality child care are better prepared to succeed in school as evidenced by: improved math and language skills, enhanced cognitive and social skills and fewer behavior problems. Early investments…A lifetime of Results.