MORE Children benefit from free Head Start programs
Muskegon, MI: Fifty-four additional preschoolers, infants and their parents will benefit from participating in Head Start and Early Head Start programs this year with an increase in federal funding for these two programs. This will bring the total number served by the two programs to 831.
According to Stuart M. Jones, Executive Director, Early Childhood Services, this increase in funding will enable Head Start to add two more classrooms and serve 32 additional children. One classroom will be in Muskegon and the other in Muskegon Heights. Head Start of Muskegon and Oceana Counties will now serve 666 children and their families.
Jones said, “This increase will also fund two more Early Head Start staff members to provide home visitation services for an additional 22 children, zero to three-years-old, and pregnant mothers. Early Head Start will now serve 165 children and pregnant mothers.
Jones continued, “This increase in federal-funding speaks volumes about the work of our Head Start and Early Head Start staff members with children and families. Only three Head Start programs in Michigan received this increase in funding.”
Head Start is a federally-funded child development/preschool program serving low-income children and families. The MAISD partners with area school districts throughout Muskegon and Oceana counties to provide high-quality, comprehensive preschool programs to help prepare our community’s children for success in schooland in life. Research shows that learning and development during the years from birth to age five are critical to a child’s future success.
Early Head Start (EHS) is a federally funded community-based program for low-income families with infants, toddlers and pregnant women. The mission of Early Head Start is to promote healthy prenatal outcomes for pregnant women, enhance the development of very young children, and promote healthy family functioning.