SAPC's target population consists of young children who live in pockets of very low income within a 1.5 radius from the preschool location at 10th and Seigle in the Belmont neighborhood of Charlotte. 95% of the families we serve are African American and nearly all are households headed by single mothers. The median income of our preschool families was less than $7,000 in 2005. More than half of the parents are unemployed. Poor health, low education, crime and domestic violence are common problems for these families.

We place priority on underserved children from fragile, low income families. These criteria add up to a risk for academic failure if not addressed with an early educational intervention. We use Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' More at Four application as a screening tool to identify families which would benefit most from the services we offer.