Even before birth, a child changes the world for parents. And parents make the world for their children. We help make sure that every child has a good start, from prenatal care for moms to exciting opportunities for children to learn as they grow.
Every child should be well prepared for school. Yet, children born into low-income families and high-needs neighborhoods often lag behind their higher-income peers because their environments have fewer resources. In the first few years – when intellectual, emotional and social development progress most rapidly – this disadvantage grows.
Our Bronx-based Head Start and Early Head Start programs meets the needs of our communities by giving children and their families the resources, knowledge, and skills to close that gap and build a solid foundation for a successful future.
Early Head Start: Ensuring the Earliest Steps to Success
For Infants, Toddlers and Pregnant Women
The path to success begins at birth so we support pregnant women with prenatal education to ensure they have access to all the medical and other services they need to give birth to a healthy baby. Then our bilingual Early Head Start program provides critical early childhood services to children from birth to 3 years old when their physical, educational and social-emotional development start. We support children in Family Child Care settings as well as providing Home-Based visiting services depending upon the needs of each family.
At each of our Family Child Care sites, up to four children explore a wide array of enriching social and educational activities as well as eat nutritious meals and snacks. Home visiting services focus on supporting parents as they learn to guide healthy child development and foster pre-literacy skills as well as nurture the parent-child relationship.
Children in both programs receive hearing, vision and dental screenings and families are provided with referrals to free/low-cost health clinics, food banks and other social services as needed.
Head Start: Inspiring a Love of Learning
For Children Ages 2 Years 9 Months to 5 Years & Their Families
Our center-based Head Start program in the Bronx inspires children to love learning through an exciting variety of activities. Our teachers encourage children to explore and express their creativity in an environment rich in colors, textures, sounds and, most importantly, possibilities. Recognizing that each child’s personality and learning style is unique, we ensure that children have the freedom to develop in their own ways.
We invite parents to volunteer and join their children in the classroom for presentations and special programs so they, too, can enjoy learning and socializing with their peers. We provide support services for families including assistance with job training, food stamps, housing, access to health and mental health services, and educational supports, such as linkage with ESL or GED classes.
Head Start Program Features
- New York State certified teachers
- Teacher assistants in every classroom
- Use of the evidence-based Creative Curriculum
- Spacious, well equipped facility
- Indoor and outdoor play areas
- Field trips
- Nutritious breakfast, lunch and snacks
- Bilingual services
Family & Parent Support for Early Head Start & Head Start
- Support and training for parents and families so they can fully participate in and contribute to the development of their children.
- Referrals to job training, assistance with housing, access to health and mental health services, educational supports and other social services as needed.