Mecklenburg County Blog

Health and Human Services

Get Schooled: 5 Myths About FREE Pre-K

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MECK Pre-K is a free, quality pre-kindergarten program funded by Mecklenburg County and run by Smart Start of Mecklenburg County. Research shows that pre-kindergarten students reap the benefits from their early start long after the year is over. The key takeaway: It sets all children up for success in the long-run. But, there may be parents with eligible four-year-olds who don’t know they can benefit from this program!

Let’s break down some of the common misconceptions about FREE pre-kindergarten in Mecklenburg County.

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Health and Human Services

Busting Common Breastfeeding Myths

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Moms-to-be and new moms get a lot of baby advice. Although people usually mean well, not all of it is based on fact. Myths about breastfeeding are common. The fact is that breastfeeding is a healthy way to feed your baby. The decision to breastfeed is a personal one, and it should also be an informed one.

In honor of National Breastfeeding Month, we’re busting NINE common breastfeeding myths*.

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Health and Human Services

9 Tips to Keep Your Cool in Hot Weather

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Learn about heat-related illness and how to stay cool and safe in hot weather.

One of the best parts of summer is the opportunity to be active outdoors – whether it’s running, cycling or hiking. It’s also the season for marathons, and when sports teams start practicing for fall. And unfortunately, every year it seems we hear tragic news of a football player losing their life on the field due to heat stroke, or a runner collapsing at a race.

But it’s not just athletes who need to be on the lookout for heat-related illness. Physical exertion in the heat can be dangerous, for all ages. Anyone who spends time being active in the summer needs to be aware. This includes outside laborers such as roofers and landscapers; families visiting a theme park; and children playing outdoors.

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Around Town Recreation

Where We’re Going We Don’t Need Roads, Just Greenways

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Your Guide to all 52 Miles of Park and Rec’s Greenway Trails

Headed to the park? Looking to do a little shopping? Need a new route to school or work? Forget driving, take the greenway!

Park and Recreation is helping to connect you to the places you love to visit through its 52-mile greenway system. And the best part is, it’s growing! Check out the department’s accelerated greenway development plan.

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Around Town Resources

5 Great Ways to Spend a Saturday on a Budget

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“Have any good plans for the weekend?”

Chances are you’ve been asked that before, by a colleague, on a Friday afternoon, or maybe by a friend or family member who’s trying to figure out if you’re free. And while it is exciting to have things in store for yourself that you can share, if there’s one thing we know to be true, it’s this: after a while, weekends can get expensive.

So, what if you’re trying to stick to a budget? Lucky for you, Mecklenburg County is filled with low-cost activities. That means you can still enjoy your weekends while being financially responsible at the same time. Let’s look at a few examples.

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Around Town

5 Pawsitively Perfect Ways to Spend the Summer With Your Dog

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What’s summer fun if you have to leave your dog at home? Well, you don’t. There are a number of places throughout Mecklenburg County that would love to have you both for a visit. All you have to do is leash-up and BYOB – that’s Bring Your Own (Poop) Bag, of course! Let’s countdown the best of them so you can soak up the sun and get some steps in with your furry BFF this season.

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Recreation

The Real Difference Between Parks and Nature Preserves

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There’s no denying it – we talk about our Park and Rec department a lot. And in doing so, we use terms like “parks” and “nature preserves” pretty often. What we’ve found, though, is that over time people have started to use these terms interchangeably. But they are NOT the same thing! They may (sort of) be similar in the way they look, but the truth is that parks and nature preserves have their own identities and serve their own purposes. Let’s compare.

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Health and Human Services

4 Steps to Becoming a Foster Parent

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How many of the following statements would you say describe you?

  • You love children.
  • You love to give back.
  • You’re actively seeking ways to help the community.
  • You’re willing to open your home to someone in need.
  • You have room in your heart to care for another.

If you said yes to most or all of the above, now see how many of these statements describe you.

  • You are at least 21 years old.
  • You have been a resident of Mecklenburg County for at least six months.
  • You rent or own your home.
  • You are employed or receiving retirement or disability.

If you match the above criteria, we’d like to ask you this: Have you ever considered foster parenting? Foster parents provide temporary homes for children up to 18 years old who have been abused, neglected or declared dependents until they can return home or until a permanent home is found for them.

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