Cleveland County Partnership For Children
PARTNER - GROW- SUCCEED
Our Vision
Healthy children and families that are equipped with the resources needed to build strong foundations that enable children to be successful, life-long learners.
Our Mission
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Partner with families, the community, and childcare centers to provide resources and support.
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Improve the lives of children and families at every stage of early childhood development.
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Allocate resources to meet the needs of our early childhood care and learning community.

Our Story
Cleveland County Partnership for Children is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) that started in 1993 as one of North Carolina's first 12 Smart Start Partnerships. Since this partnership began, our goal has been to form collaborative partnerships with families, child care providers, schools, businesses, local government agencies, organizations, and the faith-based community to make resources and programs readily available for parents and children in our community. Through the years, our resources and programs have reached thousands of children and families across Cleveland County. Our hope is that the services and supports we provide will enable our children to build strong health and learning foundations that will prepare them to succeed in life.
Meet The Team

Shannon White, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Tina Dellinger, JD,
Assistant Director/
Contract Director

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Tonya Luckadoo, BBA
Fiscal Officer

Sammi Bailes, BS
NC Pre-K Program Director
Tracy Clark, MS
Education Coordinator
Johanna Gillespie, BS
Program Manager
Stephenie Freeman
Finance Assistant
Elyse Tidwell, BSN
Early Head Start
Health Coordinator

Molly Kendrick, BS
Education Coordinator

Melissa Waters, BA
ERSEA Coordinator

Billie Mitchell, AAS
Early Head Start Family Services Coordinator

Maggie Singleton, BSW
Quality Control Specialist & Disabilities Coordinator

Sherri Sharpe, MA
Community Outreach, Parent Education, & Family Services Coordinator
Michelle Palmer, BS
Early Head Start Director
Max Tidwell
Early Head Start Family Services Coordinator
Betty Crow Kennedy, Board Chair & Community Leader
Andrea Leslie-Fite, JD, Secretary/Treasurer - Attorney at Law
Thomas McGhee, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute
Hugh Sandoe, Cleveland County Government
Gina Carter, Executive Director of Childcare Connections
Katie Swanson, Director of Cleveland County DSS
Katina Wray-Smith, Owner of Berryland Clubhouse 1 & 2 and Connected Kids CDC
Gracie Crowder - Nurse Practitioner, Shelby Children's Clinic
Paula Peeler, Director, Office of School Readiness, CCS
Heather Horton, CDSA
Leslie Cobb, President & CEO of United Way of Cleveland County
Dashe' Lawton, Cleveland County Public Health Center
Rev. Les Howard, Pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church
Bonnie Beam, Adjunct Professor, Gardner Webb
Tamara Goforth, Cleveland County Schools
Tonya Arrington, Cleveland Community College