Our Vision
A thriving Forsyth County where every child and family has equitable access to opportunities that lead to lifelong success. In this future, transformational leaders co-govern with communities, systems are fully funded and accountable to indicators of wellbeing, and collective action drives systemic change.
Who We Are
Forsyth Family Power is a community-driven network that aligns partners across sectors to ensure that every child is supported from before birth to career. We support systems-level change by centering equity, transparency, and co-governance in all we do.
We are rooted in education and we know school is just one piece of a child’s world. That’s why we work alongside families, neighbors, and cross-sector partners—from youth-serving programs to broader systems like health, housing, and workforce—to create the conditions every child needs to thrive.
Our Mission
Ensure the best educational and well-being outcomes for children and families by aligning our community’s resources and practices through shared community-driven decision-making, shared data, and coordinated and aligned action.
HOW WE WORK
Everyone has a role to play in helping to transform systems and create better educational outcomes for our children.
People-Centered Priorities
What if we all rally behind what people need to thrive?
Community knows what community needs. Our priorities in transforming systems must always be grounded in the voices and needs of those experiencing the greatest urgency. Equipped with these priorities, those who understand how systems and policies work can help shape the path forward. And those with the resources and authority to act—local leaders, organizations, and decision-makers—can turn those ideas into action. Together, we’re creating a feedback loop for deep change rooted in community accountability and what people need to thrive.
Connecting & Supporting Networks
How do we move farther, together?
When people doing similar work can share knowledge, set priorities together, and use data to guide decisions, progress moves faster and further. Our role is to help build and strengthen these connections — creating spaces where partners can learn from each other, align actions, and move in the same direction toward a community where everyone can thrive. The network partners listed below are leaning in to our shared work to improve the lives of children and families. Our network partnerships are always growing and evolving.
Learning As We Go
What if we had the space to learn from each other as we go?
To realize our vision of a Forsyth County where children and families all thrive, we must listen, test, learn, and adjust together as we go. This approach—called emergent learning—builds reflection and feedback into every step, so we’re always learning from what’s working and what’s not. By pausing to notice what’s emerging, sharing lessons across partners, and adapting in real time, we stay focused on what people actually need– building momentum for change that lasts.
Forsyth Family Power Network Partners
By Mothers is an innovative initiative aimed at tackling maternal and infant health disparities in Forsyth County by prioritizing the experiences and voices of black mothers.
The Pre-K Priority is a coalition of community organizations and individuals committed to improving the number of affordable, high-quality Pre-K programs available to all four-year-olds in Forsyth County.
A local network of the national My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, MBKWS aims to create civic infrastructure that ensures all children are positioned for success–with a particular focus on boys and young men of color–from early childhood to college or career.
Winston-Salem Freedom Schools is a literacy and cultural enrichment program that serves children in grades K-12 and supports children and families through five essential components: high-quality academic and character-building enrichment, parent and family involvement, civic engagement and social action, intergenerational servant leadership development, and nutrition, health, and mental health.
Forsyth County for Grade-Level Reading is a community-wide effort to ensure all children can read on grade level by the end of third grade, putting them on the path to success in school and life.