Ensuring more organizational support for our important work

Over the last 13 years, Durham’s Partnership for Children has worked to invest in programs that build a system of care for children and their families in the early years.

As the Partnership’s first Assistant Director, my role at the Partnership is a result of the organization’s growing scope of work.
 
In this role, I will focus on operations, development and planning, including but not limited to, oversight of grant development and internal and external relationships and communications. I will  work closely with the Executive Director and the Finance Director as well as other senior staff on a variety of projects and to ensure smooth day-to-day operations of the Partnership.

Since I came to the Partnership a little more than a month ago, I have seen how this is a pivotal time to expand organizational capacity for departments that support essential programs for children and their families, fiscal management of our public/private funding, and community awareness initiatives.

It is our vision that collectively as a community, we help uncover and nurture the distinctive strengths and interests of all of Durham County’s children birth to age 5. We want each child to start school on a path that allows them to excel at their highest level of intellectual and social potential. We grapple with organizational capacity like so many other mission-based organizations.The ability to grow in-house will enable us to continue to enhance and expand our work in the community.

I have worked in non-profit organizations at different levels and in a variety of program areas for more than a decade. Most recently, I served as Program Director for Orange County’s Partnership for Young Children. I have been able to see the impact of Early Childhood initiatives and programs on young children and their families. 

Over the last few years, the Partnership under the direction of Marsha Basloe and its Board of Directors has worked to engage more voices around the critical issues that affect young children and their families. With more organizational capacity, we can continue to build partnerships within the community to better focus collective energies on improving systems for our youngest children and their families.

Exciting things are happening for our children in Durham. I am pleased to be working with all of you and to become a part of this dynamic organization. Increased operational support and enhanced collaboration will mean we are closer to our vision to ensure all children—especially the 20 percent of our county’s children living in object poverty—arrive to school healthy and ready to learn.