Guilford County announced on Apr. 2 that it will celebrate National County Government Month throughout April, featuring a series of events and activities to highlight the county’s services and support for residents.
The month-long observance aims to increase public awareness about the essential roles counties play in building healthy, safe, and vibrant communities. Guilford County departments provide core services including public safety, health, human services, parks management, business assistance, and voter registration.
During fiscal year 2024-25, Emergency Medical Services responded to nearly 81,000 calls while the Sheriff’s Office handled over 25,000 calls. Animal Services processed more than 3,200 pet adoptions and vaccinated over 700 animals. Public Health assisted nearly 14,000 clients with more than 12,000 vaccines administered. Social Services managed tens of thousands of Medicaid applications and recertifications as well as Food Nutrition Services cases. The Family Justice Center served over 13,000 clients during this period.
Educational initiatives were also highlighted; the NC Cooperative Extension – Guilford County Center offered almost 400 training courses attended by more than 10,000 residents. Parks saw significant use with seven regional parks and numerous trails welcoming over one million visitors last year. Other departments like Veterans Services supported thousands of clients while the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department helped dozens of businesses achieve HUB certification.
Board Chair Melvin “Skip” Alston said: “Guilford County is proud of the programs and services we provide to our residents all across the county. This April, we invite residents to engage with their local county government by attending the various events our departments are hosting, including our annual budget town halls and livability forums to connect with their local elected leaders, learn and engage with the budget process, and learn more about the role and services of Guilford County.”
Throughout April there will be Budget Town Halls where residents can share input on funding priorities as well as special events such as a Prevent Child Abuse Wellness Resource Fair on April 11th hosted by Social Services. Public Health’s Every Baby Guilford program will host Black Maternal Health Week Walk & Family Day on April 11th; Denim Day observances supporting survivors of sexual violence are scheduled for April 29th at the Family Justice Center.
Education remains an area for attention in Guilford County schools: among senior students taking ACT tests in science during the last school year only about one in five were considered college-ready according to data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Similar readiness levels were reported for math (23.7%) according to North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and reading (30.8%) according to North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Junior students showed comparable results: roughly one-fifth reached college-readiness benchmarks in science (21.4%), math (21.1%), or reading (28.2%) according to North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
National Association of Counties has promoted National County Government Month since its inception in 1991 as a way for counties nationwide to educate citizens about their work each April.
