North Carolina is showing what is possible when statewide systems, local partnership, and families work together to strengthen early literacy
By Michelle Torgerson, President and CEO, Raising a Reader
Through the Smart Start Network and Raising a Reader’s 33 North Carolina Affiliates, communities across the state are helping families build joyful shared reading routines. Together, they are strengthening caregiver-child relationships, expanding access to books, and laying the early literacy foundation every child needs to thrive.
At a time when communities (and states) across the country are looking for proven ways to improve literacy outcomes and school readiness, North Carolina offers a powerful model: embedded evidence-based family engagement within a strong, locally driven early childhood system.
The North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC) serves as the statewide umbrella organization for the Smart Start Network, a system of 75 nonprofit local partnerships serving all 100 counties in the state. These partnerships support families, improve access to quality early childhood services, and strengthen outcomes for young children through evidence-based programs and community-driven solutions.
Raising a Reader is proud to be part of that ecosystem.
Across North Carolina, Raising a Reader Affiliates help create literacy-rich home environments by connecting children with books, caregivers with practical tools, and communities with proven family engagement strategies. Most of these Affiliates are funded through Smart Start partnerships, demonstrating what is possible when a statewide early childhood system invests in evidence-based family engagement at scale.
Every book that goes home through Raising a Reader’s Classic Red Book Bag Program is an invitation to connect. As families read together, they build joyful routines, strengthen relationships, and lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning.
That’s the power of Raising a Reader. Beyond increasing access to books, the program equips local schools and organizations with training, tools and implementation support so they can partner with families in ways that are trusted, and sustainable.
North Carolina’s impact is possible because of its unique balance of statewide infrastructure and local leadership. From the Murphy to Manteo, RAR Affiliates bring deep knowledge of the families they serve, adapting the program to meet local needs while benefiting from the support of a connected statewide network.
This spirit of partnership was on full display at the 2026 Smart Start Conference, where Raising a Reader hosted a celebration bringing together Affiliates, educators, community leaders, and early childhood advocates to recognize the people making this work possible.
Partners including United Way of Greater Greensboro, Child Care Resources Inc., and Black Child Development Carolinas were among those represented. Their leadership is a reminder that impact is created by people—those who build trust with families, support caregivers, deliver programs, and help create welcoming opportunities for children to learn and grow.
The photos from the event capture what data alone cannot: the dedication, collaboration, and shared purpose behind this work. They show the strength of a statewide movement rooted in relationships.
North Carolina offers an important lesson for the nation. Lasting improvements in literacy outcomes require more than strong classroom instruction alone. They require investments in families, trusted community partnerships, and systems that make it easier for children and caregivers to build reading routines together.
As CEO, I am deeply grateful for our North Carolina Affiliates, NCPC, the Smart Start Network, and every partner helping families build early literacy routines at home.
Together, they are demonstrating what is possible when statewide systems invest in local leadership, evidence-based family engagement, and families themselves.
Because when partnerships put families first, children thrive.