About Us

The East Wake Education Foundation is a non-profit education program serving Eastern Wake County.  In addition to advocating for our area schools, the Foundation has an early childhood initiative called Family and Child Enrichment Services.  

The mission of the Foundation is “To provide young children and their families in eastern Wake County access to quality preschool and a network of educational and developmental resources.”

The EWEF receives its support from the Wake County Commissioners, the towns of Zebulon and Wendell, and over 50 businesses that share their vision.  The Foundation was started in 1993.  The office is located at 16 E. Fourth Street in Wendell, N. C. and is open Monday through Thursday with family activities that involve not only the children but also the parents.

Our Program

East Wake Education Foundation belongs to the citizens of eastern Wake County. It is truly a family-centered program that involves not only children ages birth to five, but also the parents/caregiver. Activities in our Family Resource Center include both, the adult and child. Our focus is to help children improve listening skills, following directions, socialization, and gross/fine motor skills. All activities and practices learned are encouraged to be carried out in the home.

EWEF staff has years of experience and training to help promote healthy interactions within the family unit and encourage a love for learning. All services are free to qualifying families and supported by community donations and grants.

Program Requirements

  • Children birth-5 not yet in kindergarten
  • Eastern Wake County residents living within Knightdale, Wendell, and Zebulon zip codes. (27545, 27591, 27597)
  • Families with low income

*For more information contact Brooke Atkins Brooke Atkins, batkins@eastwakeeducationfoundation.org

Our Core Values

Our Vision

One day, every child will reach school age with a strong foundation, ready to succeed.

Our Mission

To provide young children and their families in eastern Wake County access to quality preschool and a network of educational and developmental resources.

Our Values

Quality
  • We believe all children deserve a quality preschool experience that prepares them for kindergarten and beyond.
  • We believe service to our children and families means quality curriculum, teachers, resources and environment.
Access
  • We believe all children should have equal access to educational opportunities. 
  • We believe a family’s background, race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status should not be barriers to a child’s potential.
Inclusive Environment
  • We believe in creating an environment that represents diversity of cultures, races, genders, and more, so children can see themselves within our space. 
  • We believe in creating an environment that is accepting and creates a feeling of belonging for families in our community.
Social & Emotional Health
  • We believe that the social emotional health of children and parents is foundational to a child’s growth and development. 
  • We believe instilling a strong sense of self in a young child will serve them for the rest of their lives.
Parental/Caregiver Involvement and Support
  • We believe collaborating with parents and caregivers is vital to the success of children.
  • We believe walking alongside parents brings resources, skills and confidence that will continue to serve the family.
Community
  • We believe engaging with community partners that add resources and enhance our standing in the community contributes to a stronger program for our children and families. 
  • We believe building our community’s commitment to early childhood education lifts and serves all children and their families.
|

What Our Families are Saying

We are so blessed to have this place! My daughter loves going there and it’s really helped build her social skills. The ladies there are so sweet!

The teachers are wonderful. We had a great, interactive experience and were able to meet other children, build social skills and practice appropriate play with others. This organization helps lay a foundation through play and positive parent encouragement that will shape healthy future adults. Could not be more thrilled that Wendell offers this service to our community.

This is about the most ideal preschool program I could imagine and is a model that should be available in every community. The format, topics, and activities are all perfectly suited to the age group. Also, the involvement of parents is a really important aspect that just doesn’t exist in traditional preschool programs. The teachers and staff are all very flexible and open to questions, conversations, suggestions, and regularly offer parenting help. My child’s social, emotional and communication skills have improved dramatically.

 

Meet the Team

Meet our dedicated team, comprised of skilled staff, committed board members, and supportive partners, all united in advancing our mission to empower and educate. Together, we strive to make a meaningful impact in the communities we serve.

EWEF-team