WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Mar. 15, 2019 – Smart Start of Forsyth County, Inc. (SSFC), a nonprofit organization leading early childhood development and education initiatives in Forsyth County, announced today that Lawrence “Larry” Vellani has resigned as CEO/Executive Director. “We are very grateful for the service and passion Larry gave to Smart Start and to the youngest children of our community during his more than seven years of leadership,” said Board Chair, Mr. Matt Britt. “He leaves us well-positioned for the next stage of our development.”
The Board of Directors is expected to officially appoint Jackie Lofton as the interim CEO/Executive Director at their next full board meeting on March 20, 2019. “As we begin our national search for a new CEO/Executive Director, we express appreciation to Jackie for her willingness to serve in the interim role. Our goal as an organization is to provide the best possible educational experience for the birth to Kindergarten population in Forsyth County, and we will continue to strive for those results.”
Mrs. Lofton has been at SSFC since 2007, most recently holding the position of Deputy Executive Director. She is a 30-year veteran of the childcare industry and is a leader in the local nonprofit sector, having served on numerous boards, taskforces, and committees. She represents SSFC as a co-convening organization of the Birth-to-3rd Action Network of Forsyth County and is managing the Help Me Grow initiative pilot program in Winston-Salem.
About Smart Start of Forsyth County, Inc.
Smart Start of Forsyth County, Inc. works to provide training, resources, direction, and leadership in rallying the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County community to build and sustain an affordable, equitable, high-quality system of early childhood development and learning for all families.
Smart Start is a network of 75 nonprofit, local partnerships that serve all 100 North Carolina counties. This network is led by The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. that ensures fiscal and programmatic accountability and coordinates the statewide network to create better outcomes for children and families. Smart Start of Forsyth County, Inc., a Smart Start network member since 1995, is a leading organization in Forsyth County focused on the quality and progress of the community’s early-learning system.
Media contact:
Mark Palmer, Director of Advancement
markp@smartstart-fc.org
336-714-4350 (office)
636-233-2514 (cell)
children and their families by providing them with the gift of a specially selected book each month. By mailing high quality, age-appropriate books directly to their homes, she wanted children to be excited about books and to feel the magic that books can create. Moreover, she could help ensure that every child would have books, regardless of their family’s income.
to 5. Services must be evidence-based or evidence-informed and address at least one of three funding areas: (1) Early Care & Education (2) Family Support (3) Early Literacy. This RFP is for a two year grant period (July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021). To be considered for funding, interested applicants must attend a grant information webinar on 9/12/18, 3:30 p.m. To register for webinar, contact Charlette Lindell at 336-714-4347; 
by The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. (NCPC) that ensures fiscal and programmatic accountability, and coordinates the statewide network to create better outcomes for children and families. Smart Start of Forsyth County, Inc. (SSFC), a Smart Start network member since 1995, is the only private organization in Forsyth County, charged by state statute, to focus on the quality and progress of the community”™s early-learning system. 
