ANNUAL REPORT2015 – 2017

VISION A community where every child and family thrives.

MISSION Verner fosters wholistic learning environments where young children and families thrive.

WE BELIEVE• Children from all socio-economic and ability levels, races, cultures, family types, and backgrounds need and deserve high quality, comprehensive early care and education.

• The most effective education of a young child requires the active partnership of family, community and school.

• It is our purpose to nurture the development of the whole child.

• It is our obligation as leaders in the profession, to model best practice for others in order to raise the quality of early care, and education for children and families beyond the Verner walls.

This will be my last annual report to you. There is so much I would like to say, for so much has been accomplished in the past 14 years! The last few years, in particular, represented in this annual report, exemplify the tremendous growth we have experienced and the Verner we have become. I would like to use this space to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you. The level of growth and impact Verner has achieved has been possible because each of you, in your own respective roles, has made a commitment to do your best for young children and their families.

A leader can have dreams and a strong, clear vision, but only the team – the faculty, the staff, the donors, the volunteers, the board, the Policy Council, and our community partners, can make those dreams real. My greatest joy is the knowledge that together, we have been there to nurture the lives of thousands of young children and their parents at a time that matters the most…hopefully changing them forever.

Though I look forward to retirement, it is difficult to conceive of no longer serving as your Executive Director. There is so much left to do! I know the community we have built at Verner is solid. There are dreams to realize and new ones on the horizon. I have no doubt you are the team we need.

The board has found a new leader that recognizes Verner’s potential and the value of each of you. Her name is Marcia Whitney. And I, though soon to be on the sidelines, will continue to be your biggest champion!

All my best,JacqueExecutive Director

DEAR FRIENDS,

BOARD GATHERINGVerner is very fortunate to have extremely dedicated, committed, generous, and involved Board members, both current and past. Through their kills, knowledge, and talents, Verner has been able to sustain and build its mission to serve more of the community. We appreciate all their efforts and timeless contributions.

2017-2018 BOARD MEMBERSHeather Norton, President

John DeWitt, Vice President

Catherine Schaller, Secretary

Steve Sizemore, Treasurer

Bess Baird

Leah Broker

Chris Crawford

Chris Dixon

Antanette Mosely

Ana Ortega

Kate Rebol

Chris Sparks

Pat Wallenborn

THANK YOU TO OUR MOST RECENT BOARD MEMBERSSandra Abromitis

Leslie Burrell

Sam Gibbs

Gibbie Harris

Bradley Hines

Jeannie Kuhlman

Rebecca Reinhardt

Jill Sparks

Lucy Wheeler White

HOW TO MAKE A GIFT TO HELP CHILDRENContributions to Verner help improve children’s learning, growth and life outcomes. While contributions to meet the most urgent needs are always welcome, you may restrict your gift to any Verner program, initiative or location.

SEVEN EASY WAYS TO GIVE:1. Visit www.vernerearlylearning.org to make an online contribution. It’s easy and secure. You can make a monthly contribution this way as well!

2. Send your gift by mail to: 2586 Riceville Road, Asheville, NC 28805

3. Honor or remember a loved one or friend with a gift or express gratitude to a Verner teacher, staff member, or volunteer. The individual will be notified of your generosity (but not the amount).

4. Donate stock or other property. Please call 828-298-0808 and we’ll be glad to help you make arrangements.

5. Create a personal legacy by remembering Verner in your will.

6. Double or even triple your contribution through your company’s matching gift program. Check with your employer for information.

CALL VERNER AT 828-298-0808 FOR MORE INFORMATION.

PROGRAMS

CENTER-BASED SERVICESVerner provides wholistic, high-quality early care and education to approximately 170 children ages six weeks to five years at four (4) centers across Buncombe County. We offer Early Head Start, NC Pre-Kindergarten, child care subsidy program and parent-pay options. Verner believes in comprehensive, blended programming where children and families from all socio-economic and ability levels, races, cultures, family types, and backgrounds thrive. We ensure our learning environments are language-rich, positive, supportive, and nurturing and employ quality teachers and specialists who support all children’s engagement in learning experiences responsive to their development. Our teachers promote creativity, confidence, and critical thinking skills and help children grow socially and emotionally.

Our teachers utilize Creative Curriculum, a research-based approach that features exploration and discovery within a responsive, intentional, and nurturing environment to promote learning. We value the importance of meaningful play in both indoor and outdoor learning environments, where children develop problem-solving skills, build stronger relationships, enhance language development, and acquire the cognitive and social-emotional skills needed to be successful over their lives. Teachers also use Teaching Strategies GOLD to assess learning, develop individualized and class goals, and create lesson plans. Grounded in 38 research-based objectives that include predictors of school success in alignment with the North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development and Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework, Teaching Strategies GOLD helps teachers focus on what matters most for school readiness.

VEG!VEG! is the result of a collaborative partnership between Verner, the North Carolina Outward Bound School, Warren Wilson College, and the Roots Foundation. The Roots Foundation is using VEG! as a pilot site to test a variety of ideas, not the least of which is the concept that local businesses and individuals are eager to support well-crafted, transformative community projects. Since ground was first broken on VEG! in spring of 2015, 62 community volunteers have contributed a total of 1,735 hours of service to the project. An enormous amount of work has been done, and the garden’s third growing season is going and growing strong!

Rainbow In My Tummy®, Verner’s flagship nutrition program, is expanding its reach to help even more children enjoy the benefits of good nutrition. As of this year, Rainbow In My Tummy® program materials are in over 25 states, which means children across the country are enjoying the same high quality food that our children benefit from right here at Verner. Now that’s the Verner way!

OUTDOOR LEARNING ENVIRONMENTAt Verner, we highly value our outdoor areas as an extension of our classroom and want to provide an environment for young children to learn, play and remain active. On average, our children spend two to three hours each day in our outdoor classrooms, providing them with additional opportunities for children to learn from their surroundings and make sense of the world around them.

HOME-BASED SERVICESAs an Early Head Start provider, we offer a home-based program for qualifying pregnant moms and children birth to three years of age. For 90 minutes each week over 46 weeks, our In-Home Educators deliver high-quality learning experiences while empowering families to take an active role in their child’s learning within the home environment. Home-based families also have the opportunity to participate in 22 Socializations per year, where families engage in developmentally appropriate activities and share experiences about their own children’s development.

SUMMER CAMPChildren who participate in Verner’s Summer Camp are treated to tons of fun activities and field trips to inspire their learning!

SCHOOL OF THE ARTSChildren write screenplays, integrate music with Asheville musicians, put together costumes, and take part in a full production. Field trips include: local museums, galleries, Warren Wilson College, a print shop, a fiber arts and recycling center, pottery painting and more.

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH (STEM)Children discover, explore, and observe. They have hands-on experiments, “contructings” and concoctions. They end with a science fair. Field trips/activities: NC Arboretum, Warren Wilson chemistry lab, VEG Garden with our permaculturist, meeting local scientists and engineers and more.

APPALACHIAN CULTURE & OUTDOOR EXPERIENCESChildren get out in nature and learn about the details of the outside world around them, as well as the heritage and history of our area. Campers (with their parents) will plan an overnight camp-out as our grand finale! Field trips include: regional hiking, berry picking at a local farm, the Folk Art Museum, The Nature Center, WWC Farm, the library, exploring nature, and more!

PROGRAMS

AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE

FY 2015-2016

FY 2016-2017

89%

94%

PRESENT NOT PRESENT

PROGRAMS

“My name is Ana Ortega: I’m a mother of two wonderful kids. Danny is 8 years old and Mariana is 32 months old. When I was pregnant with my second child I enrolled in the wonderful program (MOMS). I have no words to describe how much these ladies inspired me. I was invited by Whitney to a conference which change my life. At this conference, I learned about the entrepreneur dream. I started taking some business classes through A-B Tech while I had peace of mind because my baby son was taken care of at the Verner Center. In 2015, I started Asheville Housekeeping services. This was not easy at all because I had to work extra hard since I’m a mother, wife, and a dreamer. My dream required a lot of time and effort, which I decided to give. In 2016 we grew 40% compared to 2015. I realized then the best news ever. I no longer qualify for government assistance! I now enjoy my financial independence and I’m able to help others. I was invited to the 2016 Western Women Business conference as a speaker. I was also invited to the 16th annual Hispanic Advance Conference as a key speaker. My favorite part is to inspire other people and let them know about these programs and how if we use them to push ourselves we can take our families to a better future. In 2017 Asheville housekeeping services employs five mothers and provides commercial and residential services to anything from a single bedroom apartment to banks and commercial offices. I will forever be grateful to Whitney and MOMs.”

FIRST MOMS MEMBER TO EARN AN ADVANCED DEGREE!Leslie’s story – “As my son grew and with the support and encouragement I received as part of the MOMs program at Verner, I realized that if I was going to have high expectations for my son that I had to model them myself. So I enrolled in school. My son was so prepared to start kindergarten and is now a thriving second grader. I graduated with a Master’s degree in Social Work this May!” (2016)

MOTHERS ON THE MOVE (MOMS)The Mothers on the Move (MOMs) program provides opportunities for low-income mothers to continue their education and/or achieve English proficiency. Mothers in the program also volunteer at other agencies, make chocolate covered strawberries to sell as a fundraiser, and have great outings together! All of these activities increase self-esteem and promote continued learning… with some fun!

PROGRAMSEARLY HEAD STARTEFFORTS TO ENSURE CHILDREN ARE READY FOR SCHOOL AND LIFEVerner’s Early Head Start program is designed to provide high-quality early education and child development services while focusing on families’ strengths and building their capacity to be their child’s first and most important teacher. We serve eligible children and families in both center settings and in the home using research-based curricula; continually assess children’s development; and individualize learning to ensure children are school-ready. The Office of Head Start annually provides funding for Verner to provide free, high-quality year-round services to 172 children for six (6) hours each day. Programming is comprehensive and specifically designed to meet the needs of children and families and includes education and child development services, health program services, and family and community engagement.

FAMILY INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIESOur family engagement activities foster caregivers’ confidence and helps them cultivate skills that promote their children’s continued learning and development. From individualized family partnership services that help them achieve their goals, to emergent literacy, parenting, and English as a Second Language (ESOL) classes, Verner’s approach promotes family well-being and the shared responsibility for the success of our children.

“We are very excited about our big news! Verner was recently awarded an Early Head Start expansion grant. High-quality early care and education can enrich the life of any child, but for children living in poverty, it can be transformational. The $1 million Early Head Start expansion grant will enable us to reach 72 additional high-needs children who are at risk of school failure. EHS is evidenced-based and one of the most impactful programs for young children and families I have ever seen. Working with such strong community partners as the YWCA and Asheville City Schools Preschool will serve to strengthen our outcomes for children and we could not be more pleased. The EHS expansion will include children in the area served by Asheville City Schools as well as the county school districts of Emma, Johnston and Woodfin. One aspect that differentiates Verner from most other programs is its concentration on family engagement and support. A child is not born in isolation but is a part of the family in which she lives. We know that children living in strong, healthy families are much more likely to thrive, so working with the family is an integral part of what we do.”

– Jacque Penick, Executive Director – 2016

EARLY HEAD START DATA

2015-2016 2016-2017

Total Number of Children and Families Served

Average Monthly Enrollment

Percentage of Eligible Children Served

Percentage of Children with a Medical Home

Percentage of Children with a Dental Home

127

92%

100%

89%

72%

214

86%

100%

93%

67%

DEMOGRAPHICS

Overall, the number of children we served last year grew by approximately 58%. We added additional qualified teaching staff to ensure we continued to provide high-quality early care and education and kept the teacher to child ratios low.

CHILDREN SERVED BY SITE

27%

55%

18%

14%

7%

29%

14%

36%

58%GROWTH

FY 2016-2017

EAST (Riceville Rd) .......................129

WEST (Candler) .............................. 44

HOME-BASED ................................. 93

CENTRAL ......................................... 27

YWCA ............................................... 20

TOTAL................................313

FY 2015-2016

EAST (Riceville Rd) ....................... 112

WEST (Candler) ...............................42

HOME-BASED ..................................29

TOTAL................................ 183

DEMOGRAPHICS

This past year saw a significant increase in the number of children served who live in single-parent homes.

CHILDREN SERVED BY ETHNICITY/RACE

CHILDREN SERVED BY GENDER

SINGLE PARENT HOMES

57%GROWTH

FY 2016-2017FY 2015-2016African American ................................7

Caucasian ........................................ 129

Hispanic/Latino .................................11

American Indian..................................5

Other ....................................................8

Unspecified ..........................................3

Multi/Bi-Racial ...................................13

TOTAL................................ 183

African American ..............................57

Caucasian ........................................ 176

Hispanic/Latino .................................30

American Indian..................................4

Asian......................................................1

Other ..................................................14

Unspecified ..........................................3

Multi/Bi-Racial ...................................30

TOTAL................................ 313

FY 2015-2016

FY 2016-2017

27%

42%

61 143

2015-2016

49 132FEMALEMALE

2015-2016 2016-20172016-2017

73%

18%4%8%

10%

5%

7%

3%

2%

3% 1%

1%1%

11%

53%

TWO PARENT HOME

SINGLE PARENT HOME

73%

58%

FINANCIAL STATISTICSVerner has been recognized by independent auditors for outstanding fiscal accountability for six consecutive years! The growth demonstrated in these charts is primarily due to the second Early Head Start grant Verner was awarded in 2016.

2016 – 2017 BUDGET EXPENSESPersonnel..............................$2,808,028Program....................................$382,080Supplies.....................................$197,159Rent/Utilities/Depreciation..$179,377Maintenance & Insurance......$114,625Training........................................$57,865Other............................................$54,832TOTAL.......................$3,793,966

2015 – 2016 BUDGET REVENUEContributions......................$348,500USDA.........................................$94,500Parent Pay Tuition................$555,851Voucher Tuition....................$231,454EHS Grant #1..................... $1,291,021United Way Grants.................$89,721Other.......................................$110,118TOTAL............................$2,721,023

2015 – 2016 BUDGET EXPENSES

Personnel...............................$2,111,340Program.....................................$166,117Supplies......................................$132,160Rent/Utilities/Depreciation...$127,474Maintenance & Insurance........$76,278Training........................................$43,344Other...........................................$68,472TOTAL.....................$2,725,185

2016 – 2017 BUDGET REVENUE

Contributions.............$244,000USDA...........................$101,000Parent Pay Tuition......$542,451Voucher Tuition..........$260,091EHS Grant #1.........$1,291,021EHS Grant #2.........$1,052,937United Way Grants.....$89,721Other...........................$158,745TOTAL...........$3,739,966

47.4%

4% 3.3%

12.9%

3.5%

20.4%

8.5%

77.6%

6.1%

4.9%

4.5%2.8% 1.6%

2.5%

28.2%

34.5%

7%

14.5%

6.5%2.4%

2.7%4.2%

74%10.1%

3%1.5%

1.4%

5.2%

4.7%

74.8%

8.7%

2.5% 1.8% 2%

5.6%

4.6%

2016 – 2017 BUDGET EXPENSES

2016 – 2017 BUDGET REVENUE

2017-2018 BUDGET REVENUE

Contributions.............$320,000USDA...........................$120,000Parent Pay Tuition......$578,824Voucher Tuition..........$327,795EHS Grant #1.........$1,447,713EHS Grant #2.........$1,081,894United Way Grants.....$89,721Other..............................$76,100TOTAL...........$4,042,047

36%

27%

8%

14%

8%

2%3%

2%

2017-2018 BUDGET EXPENSES

Personnel..............................$3,038,321Program....................................$353,659Supplies.....................................$228,682Rent/Utilities/Depreciation..$185,687Maintenance & Insurance......$101,825Training........................................$74,800Other............................................$79,652TOTAL......................$4,062,626

WAYS TO PARTNERBE A VOLUNTEERVerner offers a myriad of ways to volunteer, from being a reading buddy to working on the facilities. Volunteer as an individual or as part of a group from your workplace. The rewards are great, knowing the lives of many young children have been enhanced because of your gifts of time and talents.

BE AN ADVOCATESpread the word about Verner and the importance of quality early care and education for the best life outcomes for children.

BE A DONORDonors create a strong foundation to help ensure the sustainability of Verner. Your generosity helps to build a brighter future for children and their families.

“CarePartners Foundation is proud to be a sponsor of the Verner Center for Early Learning. We see Verner as our community’s best example of an innovative program that insures quality opportunities in learning for young children of all backgrounds.”

– Scott Wright Buchanan, President and CEO CarePartners Foundation

WAYS TO PARTNER

Total Number of Hours

10%GROWTH

Total Number of Volunteers

13%GROWTH

Total Amount of Money Saved

20%GROWTH

VOLUNTEER HOURS BY NUMBERS

235 265

8,901 9,769

102,067 121,904

FY 2015 – 2016 FY 2016 – 2017

Aashna PradhanAbena Amfo-KurantengAdam LougeeAdria FinneyAhdonnica PattersonAllison WildeAmanda DiazAmanda ElisLanceAndrea RoddeyAndrea UyAngela MackieAngelo DiasAngie WillifordAnissa BowditchAnna ApostolouAnna MartinAshley EdwardsAustin FrankAva MartinezBailey FitzgeraldBenjamin MackieBernice KissieduBetty BallBeverley-Claire OkogwuBlake DillonBlake PitnaBobby BakerBram HyderBrandon TilmannBreanna PrattBrenda LoganBrent GambleBrooklyn RiveraBryan ReedCarly JamesCarolina OwleCarrie MinickCayanne Ramuten

Cecily FretwellCharles VargaChelsea PollifroneCheryl BradleyCheryl ToblenCheryl ToblerChris CosgroveChris MonkaitisChris SpoererChrissy WolfeChristian PerryChristine QuinleyCinder BarnesClaudia SalamancaCloey GoldsmithCole BuurmaColleen GasawayCornisha NelsonCraig HopkinsCrystal BaileyCurtisha TharpDamon AylesDan PatenaudeDana WilsonDaniel O’KeefeDanny DoddDaphne CharlesDavid QuattlebaumDebbie WilliamsDelta DavisDevon TaylorDiane LoganDorian SpencerDuncan CurranEdmonia WackfordEleanor NealElia Sujey Ponce AbregoElijah Lee

Eliseo GarciaElizabeth RogersEllen DavisEmily BentleyEmma TrebelEric TrepinaErvin McKenzieEsme WesselEvangeline KingnaEve Brosowsky-KearnsEvelia Garcia-LeyvaEvelyn GuyFelissa VazquezFoster BenjaminFrank WagenknechtGabe QuinleyGail ElliottGary GaytonGlenn GibsonGloria Alas CartagenaHana FischerHannah EarlyHannah LeeHannah ShrainlHeather WingertHipps BransonHolly HoneywellIsis DudekItzel Garcia EscobedoIvy McMillanJackie BroadwaterJacob NelsonJames FullerJanet BlakeJanet EscanoJay McDanielJean SnyderJeannie Kuhlman

Jeff BanksJenna CampbellJennifer EscobarJennifer GibsonJennifer RomeroJeong YangJerome ConleyJerri StoweJessica KentJessica WhiteJoe DrinkwaterJoey BournJohan SantanaJohn MarchalJordana SwartzJoseangel MedinaJoyce MillingJuan LugueJulia TallonJustin HoltKadeja MckinzieKae LugiyKaitlyn WatersKaren EhlersKaren KellyKaren McCarsonKathryn ClarkKathy CaudillKatie ClarkKayla SmithKelsey ConklinKen McleskeyKevin WilsonKimberly StametsKirsten KernKirsten MitchellKirstin AustinKris Kraft

THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS

Krista ManningKrystal BrownKyle KramerLakota BrewingtarLance AldwinLance JuneLauryn FarguenLawrence BowenLee OrowitzLesia ManosLeslie BradsherLilian VelasquezLily StejskalLina RubioZuniga ChanLoreto GutierrezLucero FelipeLucy LaufeLucy WhiteMackenzie LovenzMadeline HancockMaggie CramerMaja OlssonManoj KawdakumarMargaret JemisonMaria VasquezMaria Villanueva NunezMaribel ArreguinMaricela SanchezMark RosensteinMartha ShiversMartha ValdiviaMary O’BarrMary SingerMaryamawit AbateMatt Parris

Matthew BellMckenzie McClayMegan GaffiganMichael LeiferMichael MattilMichael TorresMichelle HurstMichelle LytleMindy ColemanNadia RubioNancy FredinNancy WarrenNatalie BosmanNestler BeccaNick JohnsonNicole St. CharlesNiesha SchlabachNiki KordusNiki PaganelliNygeria MckinzieOlga PaezOluwadara OlokodeOrvil VibahOseremen BrowoseleP. Monica FreemanPamela GosnellPat TuttlePatricia GonzalezPatricia YoungPeggy SiskRachel WorthRebecca FisherRenee GunterRenee JonesReyna Garcia Gonzalez

Richard WiedemanRobby RussellRobert LittrellRobert WebsterRobertson CynthiaRobin BarkerRosa Jimenez RuedaJanette Rosa-Gonzalez Rosario VillarealRose FairleyRyan HuntSamantha LunigaSandy AustinSarah LeeSarah TorreySavila BansiScott YerkeySelena ThomasSelisa WashingtonShalita SheltonShamla ShakieSimone HallStephanie McleskeyStephen SloanSteve HurdSteve IannielloSteve WamboStuart SmithSwift DickisonSylvia ClementTamara ZalizhuTanner HedgerTara HopkinsTashema BrownTC Guyer

Teddy SeisserTenisha GardnerTeresa GuinacTerri PorterThomas DeCarloThong HughnTierra MooreTimothy DocilTodd WhittedTommy BrattonToshia BrownTrevor AustinTrevor BrianTrinidad NestosoUrsan NjikeValerie MotuzVenetta SmithVickie PrestonVictoria AlexisVictoria CrydermanViki Figueroa DiazVollie BarnwellVreisyda WyattWhit FortenberryWilliam HiteWoody WoodardXia GannawayYadria Sanchez-EsparzaZac BeyersZecky McDaniel

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

A-B Technical Community CollegeAshville City SchoolsBank Street CollegeBuncombe County CommissionersBuncombe County Partnership for ChildrenBuncombe County SchoolsCaring for ChildrenCarolina Pediatric TherapyChildren’s Developmental Services Agency of WNCChildren & Family Resource CenterChildren First Communities in SchoolsCommunity Action OpportunitiesEarly Learning PartnersHandsOn Asheville-BuncombeLiteracy Council of Buncombe CountyNorth Carolina Outward Bound SchoolOsher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)Owen High SchoolPisgah LegalRoots Hummus FoundationRetired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)South CollegeSouth Western Child Development CommissionWarren Wilson CollegeWestern Carolina UniversityYWCA

CORPORATE CONTRIBUTORS

Advantage Direct PrintingAllegacy BenefitsAltamont Capital Management/GouldA-B Technical Community College

Asheville CourierAVL TechnologiesBB&T BankBig Frog T-ShirtsBlack Mountain Savings BankBlossman GasBlue Cross Blue Shield of NC FoundationBlue Ridge OrthodonticsBlue Ridge X-Ray Company, IncBrunk AuctionsC and Co. All Natural Body Goods, LLCCarePartners FoundationCatawba BrewingCeline & Company “On Broadway”Clean Environments of AshevilleCorner Kitchen CateringDiana Wortham Theatre - Pack Place Performing Arts, Inc.Dixon Hughes GoodmanEblen Short Stop StoresEdward Jones – Financial Advisor: Jay GuffeyFASTSIGNS of AshevilleFirst Baptist Church of AshevilleFirst Citizens BankFox Dental AssociatesFrench Broad ChocolateGaining Ground FarmGrove Stone & SandHome Trust BankIHeart MediaInsurance Service of AshevilleJohn and Andrea DeWitt Family FundJohnson Price Sprinkle, PAKillian CPA GroupLaurel Ob/GynLaw Office of Leah Broker, P.A.Leaslie and AssociatesMagellan Strategy Group

Mission HealthMountain XPressMontmorenci United Methodist Church Child Care MinistryOsada ConstructionPNC BankRebol Family DentistryRhubarbSchwabShow Off LogosTen Thousand VillagesThe Jubilee! CommunityTP Howard’s Plumbing Co.Tyson Furniture CompanyUltimate Ice CreamWarren Wilson CollegeWarren Wilson Presbyterian ChurchWilliams Family DentistryWright’s CarpetYesterday’s SpacesYMCA Of Western North Carolina, Inc.

INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS

John and Annie Ager, Jr.Joseph and Christina ApodacaRod and Bess BairdJoan BednarekSally Jo BeverlyKen and Ida BrownShelley and Kirk BrownAndrew and Lauren BrunkDon and Ann BurkeMaia Toll and Andrew CelwynHenry and Lolly CopelandWilliam CrockerLibby de CaetaniJohn and Andrea DeWitt

THANK YOU TO OUR DONORSVerner is pleased to recognize partners and donors who make it possible for us to do more for children. Their philanthropic support provides high-quality early care and education, great nutrition through our Rainbow in My Tummy® Progam, and supportive services to families to help our children and families thrive. THANK YOU!

Christopher and Elizabeth DixonTom and Lynne DoebberBobbie EblenBob and Suzy EvansSarah Belk GambrellSam and Cynthia GibbsBarbara and Larry GriswoldRev. T. Hartley Hall, IVJacque Penick and Harold HolcombeGibbie HarrisBill and Rebecca HeartzBradley and Wendy HinesRichard W. HitchElizabeth HoldenPat and Barbara HowardRev. William and Dr. Sara HoytRob HunterJane Lysko IsbeyRev. Cecil JividenMary Jane Jordan and Kathryn J. GoldPatsy KeeverKimberly KneierHank and Judy KramerJeannie and Mike KuhlmanTerry LatanichBrian R. LauterbachNeil and D’Etta LeachFitz LegertonMike and Pat LeviTom and Nancy MaherMike MartinCharles and Mary McKeownJohn and Lynne MathesonMary MayoTodd McCarlRaymond and Sue McClintonHugh and Carol McCollumAndrea McNairMichael and Christine MessinoDana Mitchell

Jeanne P. NanneyTom Nein and Karen NijzinkHeather and Ashley NortonLee and Linda OrowitzDoug and Darcy OrrCaroline Craig ProctorKate and Christopher RebolRebecca and Christopher ReinhardtJennie Eblen and Rick PerkinsHarry RobbinsKatherine C. RorisonBill and Ann SatterfieldWade and Mary Margaret SaundersAnne R. SayersCatherine SchallerHerschel and Noel SchwartzVanessa and Joe ScullyIsabel SingerTom and Marian SinksSteve and Jill SizemoreJeff SlosmanDavid and Ruthie StagnerJack and Cissie StevensBonnie and Maurice StoneBernice StroupMeredith and Jeff SwitzerJohn and Claire Tate, IIIRobert Pew and Susan TaylorLaura TurchiDr. and Mrs. Randall VanderbeekGerald and Karen VanemanJonathan and Leslie VernerScott and Pat S. VernerFrank and Laura WagenknechtJohn and Kitty WebsterTed and Lucy White, IVHenry and Cis WildeAurie Hall and Marcie WilderJanet H. Wilson Larry and Janie Wilson

Barbara Wurster Hank and Nancy Young Leonard and Nellie Zuba

GRANT CONTRIBUTORS

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project Beattie FoundationBiltmore Lake Charitable FundBlack Mountain RotaryBuncombe County Partnership for ChildrenBuncombe County Service FoundationCommunity Foundation of Western North CarolinaHenry W. Bull FoundationJanirve Sudden and Urgent Needs (SUN)Kiwanis Club of Black Mountain SwannanoaLandwirth FoundationLipscomb Family FoundationMary Norris Preyer FundPeople in NeedProvident Benevolent FoundationSherman Fiarchild FoundationSisters of Mercy of North Carolina FoundationTD Charitable FoundationWells Fargo FoundationUnited Way of Asheville and Buncombe County

ENDOWMENTS

Martha Lauderbaugh Robbins Endowment FundKristina and Savannah Keels Scholarship Fund Danny Verner Endowed Fund for Teaching & ResearchDiana Wortham Endowment Fund

PARTNERS IN NEW INITIATIVESWARREN WILSON COLLEGEWarren Wilson College has been a partner of Verner since the program’s founding in 1998. We highly value our partnership with the school and receive over 5,000 hours of volunteer support from their work crew, service learning students, and early care and education students ANNUALLY.

NORTH CAROLINA OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOLNorth Carolina Outward Bound School graciously donated an acre of land to Verner to grow our community garden. This garden allows our teachers to provide unique and wonderful learning experiences through our Verner Educational Garden (VEG!) program, where children plant seeds, water the garden, and harvest the food… and eat some of it at their lunch!

ROOTS FOUNDATIONThe Roots Hummus Foundation has been providing volunteer labor and support of our garden and playgrounds. It is through their sweat, kindness, and generosity that we are able to ensure enriching learning experiences for our children.

EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITYVerner has a new partnership with East Tennessee State University, looking at the effectiveness of Emotionally Responsive Practice and its impact on helping young children who have experienced adversity. Verner will begin the pilot study in January 2019.

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITYWestern Carolina University’s School of Business Students gave hours of volunteer time to provide Verner with a Strategic Marketing Plan. Thanks to their hard work, many of the needs are now being addressed! Thank you!

EVENTSGAINING GROUND FARM DINNER – MAY 30, 2017This was a FANTASTIC event that featured a perfect setting at Yesterday Spaces, phenomenal food from Rhubarb, delicious fresh vegetables from Gaining Ground Farm, amazing beer from Catawba Brewing, AND great company by all who attended!

SUPERHEROES SCAVENGER HUNT – NOVEMBER 9, 2017This exciting event in downtown Asheville made a big splash at The Collider, with many local businesses participating and coming up with riddles, games, and other tasks to complete to win a prize at the end. People wore colorful and eclectic costumes and there were too many raffle prizes to count! Everyone was a winner at the end of this evening. This years’ Scavenger Hunt will happen on Thursday, October 25, 2018. Stay tuned for more information!

TWELFTH NIGHT DINNER – JANUARY 9, 2018Once again, a wonderful group of people gathered to have a magical night, made possible by John Fleer and Rhubarb’s amazing food, along with perfectly matched unique brews from Catawba Brewing. The food was enhanced by Gaining Ground Farm’s amazingly fresh vegetables.

EDUCATION FORUMDr. Kathleen Gallagher spoke at our first Education Forum, From Seed to Oak: The First 5 Years Changes Everything. The event was kicked off with a lovely reception that included food from Rhubarb, Corner Kitchen, French Broad Chocolates, and Biltmore Wine. Dr. Gallagher provided a thorough presentation of the impact that high quality early childhood education has on children. This was followed by a panel of specialists throughout our area, including Sheila Hoyle, Jennie Eblen, Amy Barry, and Greg Borum.

GOOD HEALTH GOOD BUSINESS AWARDVerner Center for Early Learning was recognized with the Asheville Chamber of Commerce Good Health Good Business Award in June 2016. This accolade is given to area employers who make health and wellness a priority. That is exactly what Verner does on a daily basis! In addition to physical health, Verner places a premium on the behavioral and emotional health of both students and staff. Verner also prioritizes providing teachers with the training and assistance necessary to support children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health concerns, and special circumstances that can make teaching and learning more difficult.

TEACHING AWARDWhitney Rea was recognized for excellence by being chosen Headstart Teacher of the Year for the western region of the state. Because of her excellence in teaching, she was honored as a finalist for the NC Head Start Teacher of the Year Award!

STAFF AWARDS AND AGENCY SUCCESS

COMMUNITY RESILIENCY MODELVerner has adopted the use of the Community Resiliency Model, which offers our staff a set of practical strategies to promote well-being in the face of ongoing stress or adversity. The simple, easy to understand tools are designed to support people regardless of their age, education, or background.

Staff learned about the neuroscience of stress and trauma, and were given an “owner’s manual to their body’s threat and safety management system.” This model was developed as a response to the public health crisis of ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences), and Verner is excited that they had the opportunity to learn simple tools for self-regulation, co-regulation, and ongoing supports for everyone’s emotional well-being.

CRM is a public health model that helps people to promote resiliency through knowledge of how our biology is affected by stress and trauma. It involves a set of six easy to learn, use and teach wellness skills, which can be used by individuals and groups in any setting. The skills assist people in accessing their “resilient zone”, a state of optimal balance in our nervous system that allows for us to “bounce back” from stressors and trauma.

PREMIER RECIPE CONTEST WINNERGenie Gunn, Verner’s Food and Nutrition Manager, was one of four finalists in the annual national Premier Recipe Contest in Washington, D.C. held on June 28, 2017.

TRAUMA & BRAIN DEVELOPMENT VS CHILD TRAUMATIC STRESSLaura Martin was interviewed by a medical writer with the Associated Press about how severe, ongoing stress can affect a child’s brain. The story appeared on line at USA Today, US News & World Report, Fox News, Miami Herald, and the New York Times.

“We know that if they don’t feel safe, they can’t learn,” Martin said. “By creating safe spaces, one goal for programs like Verner’s is to make kids’ bodies more resilient to biological damage from toxic stress”, she said.https://bit.ly/2FzzYwk

“Food and nutrition manager Genie Gunn is behind the magic at [Verner’s] Asheville, N.C., child-care center. Like many of her culinary peers in the health care industry, Gunn works to maximize flavor while minimizing factors such as fat and sodium content. It’s a tough task when dealing with picky children, but she’s up for it. “I think real food can be exciting,” Gunn said. “If you use real ingredients, you can bring out the flavors of those ingredients without adding a lot of extra sodium and sugar.”

– Washington Post

VISIT FROM SENATOR CHUCK EDWARDSSenator Chuck Edwards visited Verner to learn more about the program, chat with the children and gain a better understanding of how Early Childhood Education impacts families, our community, and society.

JULIAN PRICE AWARD 2017 Melissa Wilson, one of our best teachers at Verner, won the Julian Price Award in 2017. Her success is a testament of her commitment to providing the high quality teaching we ask of all of our teachers. Melissa goes above and beyond in all aspects of her job and raises the bar for other teachers, so they can learn how to implement the best practice techniques that help children develop and thrive.

ANNUAL REPORT2015 – 2017

828-298-0808 | vernerearlylearning.org2586 Riceville Road | Asheville, NC 28805