Our Mission: We seek to strengthen the capacity of families, educators, and the community to build strong foundations to ensure Child Well Being.

As I write this final Annual Report update for the Cabarrus County Partnership for Children, I do so with a mix of emotions. I am both happy and a little sad to share that I will be retiring as Executive Director on March 1, 2026, and embarking on new adventures.

Over the past 27 years, your unwavering support and love for the Partnership have been the foundation of our success. As we look ahead, I am excited for the bright future that awaits—with a new logo, strategic plan, website, and leadership to guide the next chapter.

While I look forward to retirement, I will deeply miss working alongside our incredible community partners, board of directors, Direct Service Providers, state and local leaders, and my beloved staff. You have made my job a joy and helped make Cabarrus County a place where children and families thrive. Even when my ideas seemed a little “out there,” you always showed up for our youngest citizens—and for that, I am forever grateful.

My time at the Partnership has been the highlight of my 50-year career serving children. Since arriving in Cabarrus County in 2009, I have felt welcomed, supported, and inspired by your commitment to collaboration and service. Together, we have made a lasting difference.

As I step away, I leave you with one simple request: continue to support our youngest children—they need YOU.

Love to all,

Ann Benfield
Executive Director

Early Care and Education

High-quality educational experiences designed to enhance school readiness for all children, ages birth to five, in Cabarrus County.

Early Care & Education Quality Programs Funded

Child Care Health Consultants

Conscious Discipline Training

Early Education Liaison

Inclusive Child Care

 

  • 146

    Child care providers in 77 child care facilities participated in training from Child Care Health Consultants

  • 10

    Administrators, 26 teachers in licensed facilities and 18 substitute candidates received Conscious Discipline training

  • 222

    Child care professionals received Pyramid Model training through the Inclusive Child Care Program

  • 826

    On-site technical assistance and 390 phone/written technical assistance contacts provided to child care providers through Child Care Health Consultants and Inclusive Child Care

  • 132

    Child care providers in 40 facilities received WAGE$ education-based salary supplements

  • 196

    Child care providers received professional development advising through the Early Education Liaison program

  • 77

    Child care providers received Smart Start education scholarships and/or education award stipends through Early Education Liaison

Affordability/Availability Programs Funded

NC Pre-K Administration

NC Pre-K Dual Subsidy

Smart Start Child Care Subsidy

Preschool Expansion Slots for Cabarrus County

On-Call Substitute Pool

Cabarrus Share Child Care

Child Care WAGE$

 

24

# Classrooms

348

Children Total

133

@ Cabarrus County Schools

27

@ Kannapolis City Schools

51

Head Start Dual Funded

138

@ private sites

  • 170

    Children received child care NC Pre-K dual-subsidies. An average of 6 children received child care subsidies in private child care through the Division of Social Services

  • 18

    Additional Pre-K slots were provided

  • 42

    On-call substitutes were trained and served 13 child care facilities

  • 31

    Children of Cabarrus County Government and Kannapolis City Government employees were provided childcare through the Cabarrus Share program in 20 child care facilities

Health and Early Intervention

Programs Funded

Assuring Better Child Health and Development (ABCD)

Bilingual Dental Patient Navigator

Emergency Dental Services

Safe Kids Cabarrus

  • 20,471

    Children received developmental and early intervention services through ABCD

  • 161

    Preschool-aged children received dental screenings, and 612 parents received outreach through funding for the Dental Patient Navigator

  • 8

    Children and 15 pregnant mothers received funding for Emergency Dental Services

  • 330

    Parents were served with car seat safety checks through 124 events offered by Safe Kids Cabarrus

Family Education and Support

Programs Funded

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Parents as Teachers

Social Emotional Intervention

  • 89,592

    Books mailed to 9,106 children through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

  • 21

    Families participated in Parents as Teachers, including home-visitation, group connections, child screenings, and community referrals

  • 88

    Families received Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) consultations through the Social Emotional Intervention Specialist

Emergency Fund

The following items were purchased and distributed to local families in need thanks to your contributions.

65

Car seats

40

Beds

*Pack N Plays, Toddler Bed/Mattress, Twin Bed/Mattress

Cuddle Up Coat Drive

Winter coats collected or purchased to provide to young children in need in Cabarrus County.

84

Children’s coats donated

130

Children’s coats distributed

Support Our Work

Financials

Revenues

Expenditures

Corporate and Foundation Contributors

Special thanks to our contributors for providing funding to support high-quality early education programs in Cabarrus County.

Ben Mynatt Family of Dealerships

Blue Cross Blue Shield NC

Cabarrus Brewing Company

Cabarrus County Government

Cannon Baller Foundation Inc.

Country Law Shack

First Presbyterian Church

Foundation for the Carolinas

Hilbish Ford

I Can & Will LLC

Ideal Sportsman Inc

McGill Baptist Church

Progressive Insurance

Service Pro Plumbing

Speedway Children’s Charities

Texas Roadhouse

Truusight

Windstream

Our Team

Ann Benfield
Executive Director

Ariel Ayers
Finance

Lauren Westin
Program Manager

Patricia Sehorn
NC Pre-K Program Manager

Tu’Nicquia Bradley
NC Pre-K Coordinator

Lissy Rios
Program Assistant

Starla Hatley
Program Manager/Safe Kids Coordinator

Debra Pless
Child Care Health Consultant

Melissa Jones
Child Care Health Consultant

Board of Directors

Marcella Beam | Vice Chair
City of Concord

Stacy Fackler
Atrium Health

Dr. Kevin Garay
Kannapolis City Schools

Patrick Graham
WeBuild Concord

Melanie Holles
Cabarrus County Library

Dr. John Kopicki
Cabarrus County Schools

Lora Lipe
Cabarrus Co. Dept of Health Services

Danielle Mauldin | Secretary
Kids’ Korner Child Development Center

Amos McClorey
Logan Community CDC, NAACP

Chris Measmer
County Commissioner

Stephen Morris
County Commissioner

Malisha Ross
Partners Behavioral Health

Aalece Pugh
Cabarrus County, Assistant County Manager

Gil Small | Treasurer
Retired, Business

Pam Smith | Board Chair
Cooperative Christian Ministry

Elizabeth Street
Judge

Rev. Jacqueline Whitfield
All Saints Episcopal Church

Help us make an even bigger impact in 2026!

Support early childhood programs and initiatives in your community by making a tax deductible donation to the Cabarrus County Partnership for Children. Together, we are creating a brighter, more promising future for Cabarrus County—one child at a time.

Cuddle Up Coat Drive Fund

Help us purchase coats for children in Cabarrus County by contributing to our 19th Annual Cuddle Up Coat Drive!

Ways to Contribute
  • PayPal
  • Venmo: @CabarrusPartnershipForChildren
  • By mail: Cabarrus County Partnership for Children
    PO Box 87, Kannapolis, NC 28082

Holiday Cards

Receive a pack of 6 Christmas cards drawn by local Pre-K children when you contribute $30 or more to the Cabarrus Partnership for Children!

Please Email Lauren to let her know you’d like to donate $30 or more to claim your holiday cards!

Contact Us

Cabarrus Partnership for Children

1307 S. Cannon Blvd. Kannapolis, NC 28083
(Mail: PO Box 87, Kannapolis, NC 28082)

Ph: (704) 933-8278
cabarruspartnership.org