Be an Advocate
"Children are our most valuable natural resource." -Herbert Hoover, 31st U.S. President
Being an advocate for children and their families is an important task that Wake County SmartStart takes very seriously. We encourage all volunteers to learn about important issues affecting our county’s youngest children and reach out to policymakers through numerous avenues to engage them in important discussions. Expressing your thoughts on relevant topics through written communication, telephone conversations or during face-to-face meetings is an excellent way to become part of the advocacy process. After all, it takes an engaged and passionate public to move an issue!
Early childhood investments are critical to North Carolina and to the constituents who elect our policymakers. Children, birth to 5, desperately need an informed electorate to determine their future. Each of us has a responsibility to inform our policymakers about the importance of high quality early childhood experiences as well as know more about what our community’s families are facing due to difficult economic conditions.
Looking for a way to help?
Find your elected officials below and let them know the importance of early childhood investments:
• North Carolina General Assembly
• U.S. House of Representatives
Are you receiving Wake County SmartStart Advocacy Alerts? If not, sign up to receive them! E-mail Pat Clements at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Participate in Tuesday for Tots! 
Tuesdays for Tots, Wake County SmartStart’s advocacy effort, takes place annually during the legislative session and depends on the active participation of volunteers. Through this initiative, Wake County SmartStart organizes one-on-one meetings with legislators during which we speak with them about our organization’s successes, share with them the importance of investing in children during their first 5 years and discuss important early childhood issues. The presence of early education advocates at the North Carolina General Assembly makes an important statement about our commitment to young children.
