Charlotte-Based Reemprise Fund Awards Grant to Families First in Cabarrus County

Earlier this year, Aurora Swain of Families First in Cabarrus County pitched her nonprofit’s innovative ideas to an audience of over 900 people during Social Venture Partners’ SEED20 OnStage. Aurora’s supporters filled up the front row of Knight Theater to cheer her on as she represented Families First and the families she helps every day.

“I will never forget the first day when parents struggled to sign their names and even hold a pen,” Aurora said during her pitch. “You see, in Latin American countries education is not mandatory like in the USA. Obviously they couldn’t read or write. We resolved the problem by opening a school for adults, Monday – Saturday. I promise there is nothing more inspirational than this, seeing the power and freedom adults gain when learning how to read and write. We are educating the whole family.

Aurora’s pitch helped Families First gain support from the Charlotte-based Reemprise Fund, who recently awarded the Cabarrus County nonprofit a grant in the amount of $25,125. The grant helped them hire a consultant with Amy Clinton & Associates to help them build capacity and remain organizationally stable in attaining their vision of 5 schools in 5 years.

Families First, a direct service provider for the Cabarrus Partnership for Children, provides early childhood education and free parenting programs for parents who are struggling with parenting, poverty, addictions, and/or living linguistically isolated and their children. They operate an in-home visiting program utilizing the best practice Parents as Teachers model, the 5-star Cabarrus Bilingual Preschool, and support groups, with the goal of finding families who need assistance, give them a voice, and provide support to ensure success at home, school, and life.

For more information about Families First in Cabarrus County, visit: www.familiesfirstcc.org.