Verner Center for Early Learning

Mission: To deliver high quality educational and relationship based learning environments from prenatal to pre kindergarten where every individual is valued and respected.

Verner Center for Early Learning is a nonprofit agency providing high quality, affordable early care and education to children birth to five years of age throughout Buncombe County. The Verner Center aims to foster holistic learning environments where young children and families thrive. Verner Center seeks to ensure that all children have access to high quality, affordable care and envisions a supportive community where every child and family thrives. The organization embraces a philosophy that includes excellence in early childhood practices, diversity among children and families, and partnerships and collaboration with families and communities. This philosophy is demonstrated through provision of high quality education, family services, health and nutrition services, and professional development for teachers.

The Verner Center provides high quality, comprehensive care and education to young children and their families through the following programs:

• Center-Based Programs: Positive, supportive, nurturing classroom services (including Early Head Start and North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten services) using a hands-on, inquiry-based curriculum for children six weeks to five years of age at four centers throughout Buncombe County. 
• Community-Based Program: Services to families in Buncombe County who have low incomes, including weekly home visits for children birth to three years, their families, and expecting families. 
• Rainbow In My Tummy® : A comprehensive nutrition enrichment program created by Verner that ensures children ages 0-5 have access to a wide variety of nutritious foods and teaches children and families to develop cycles of healthy eating using food color as a tool.
• Family Empowerment Program: Comprehensive, intensive one-on-one support and case management for mothers with low income to continue their education and achieve English proficiency while their children receive high quality early care and education.
• VEG (Verner Experiential Garden): Every week throughout the year, Verner classrooms visit the garden to explore and learn. Our garden has a variety of features including garden beds and huge mounds, fruit trees, a herb spiral, a cistern, and composting bins. A safe, beautiful, abundant place for learning, growing, and gathering.