Special to IFN
The Iredell County Partnership for Young Children (ICPYC) received a $50,000 grant from the Truist Financial Corporation to establish a Mobile Resource Center.
The grant, made through the Truist Charitable Fund, a donor-advised fund at The Winston-Salem Foundation, supports the agency’s mission of lifting children to better beginnings.
“Truist has been a long-standing community partner, and we’re grateful for the support of the Truist Charitable Fund to further the mission of ICPYC,” ICPYC Executive Director Lisa Familo said.
To meet the growing need for mobile and flexible services for the children, families, and early childhood educators of Iredell County, ICPYC used the funds to purchase a van and transformed it into a Mobile Resource Center.
The Mobile Resource Center allows ICPYC to meet clients where they are, connecting those who are isolated to resources, and expanding support to distressed communities and populations with barriers such as lack of transportation.
This has been instrumental in getting basic supplies to the young children impacted by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. As a partner in the Smart Start Network, ICPYC is one of 75 partnerships throughout the state who serve children birth to age five, providing services focused on raising the quality of early care and education, supporting families, advancing child health, and expanding literacy.
ICPYC has been designated as one of two regional hubs to support the youngest victims of Hurricane Helene, delivering supplies like diapers, wipes, formula, and bottles directly to local partnerships in Western North Carolina utilizing the Mobile Resource Center, ensuring they are going straight into the hands of families who need them most.
“The Mobile Resource Center is also a great way for us to bring our programs out into the community,” said Lisa Pullis, ICPYC’s assistant director. “Now we can deliver supplies and resources to child care centers and expand community access to resources.”
The Mobile Resource Center serves as an extension of the Early Learning Resource Centers which offer a variety of materials to support Iredell County children ages 0-5 in their learning and development. The Early Learning Resource Centers also offer lending libraries full of educational toys, books, and thematic learning kits for young children.
ICPYC now offers a delivery program to provide licensed Iredell County childcare centers with convenient deliveries of quality educational materials designed to enrich learning environments and support children’s development. Annual membership is required.