Washington D.C.
For Children
Programming for children from birth to seventeen has been designed to equip children from underserved communities with the physical, mental, and developmental assets that facilitate school and life success. Programming and support for school-aged children, tweens, and teens are also offered at Smart sites.
For Families
Smart addresses the needs of every member of the family. Smart recognizes and builds on caregivers’ strengths. Caregivers have access to crisis intervention and family stabilization services. They are encouraged to set long- and short-term goals to improve their economic status and to overcome social challenges. Opportunities to enroll in adult education and career exploration programming are open to all Smart caregivers.
For Communities
Our community-based work is designed to improve families’ access to, and use of, existing community services, while also ensuring the highest-quality services through close partnerships with other agencies. The Smart model works to engage and enlist the support of both formal and informal stakeholders, business proprietors, and other community-support agencies.
District of Columbia
2357 Ainger Place SE,
Washington, D.C. 20020
2498 Alabama Ave SE,
Washington, DC 20020
P: 202-610-2000
Programs are now running at 2357 Ainger Place at the Smart from the Start, Woodland Terrace Center for Child and Family Development as well as the Family Success Center at 2498 Alabama Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020! Come by and check it out!
Smart from the Start’s work in Washington, D.C. began in the fall of 2012, when officials from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, who were impressed with the progress made by public housing families enrolled in the Boston program, suggested a partnership with DCHA. Following a series of productive meetings, leadership at DCHA enthusiastically invited Smart to pilot our program.
In partnership with the D.C. Housing Authority along with community leaders and stakeholders, Smart from the Start developed a plan for the replication of the Smart program model into housing developments in Southeast Washington, D.C. Smart from the Start will serve developments where there is a high concentration of families with young children, where resources are few, and the need is great.
Please call Smart from the Start at 202-610-2000 to be directed to the appropriate Program Coordinator to schedule a visit. We look forward to working together!
"With generous support from Coleman Family Ventures, Smart from the Start is expanding programming to Atlanta and Philadelphia this Fall!"
