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(Washington, D.C.) Arkansas’s United States Senators Blanche Lincoln
and Mark Pryor, along with Fourth District Representative Mike Ross, Wednesday
announced the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded the Southwest
Arkansas Development Council, Inc., Head Start program in Texarkana (Ark.)
$2,253,978.
"This is good news for young children and families in Southwest Arkansas
who will benefit from the critical services made available though this
grant," Lincoln said. "The educational and health care services provided
through Head Start are vital to early childhood development and I couldn't
be more pleased this funding has been approved."
“The Southwest Arkansas Development Council, through its Head Start
program, provides invaluable services to ensure our children stay on the
right track,” Pryor said. “As a result of this grant, hundreds of
children in Texarkana will continue to acquire the developmental skills
they need to enter kindergarten ready and able to learn.”
“Head Start offers critical educational development programs to children
and families, and I am proud to learn that the Southwest Arkansas Development
Council in Texarkana will once again receive over $2.5 million to continue
their important services,” said Ross. “Head Start’s individualized services
in areas ranging from education to nutrition and parental involvement training
lay the necessary foundation to a positive future for many children. Without
the unique programs offered by Head Start, many children would be at a
stark disadvantage when starting grade school.”
The Head Start program, administered by the Department of Health and
Human Services, works with low-income children and parents, with the overall
goal of increasing school readiness of young children in low-income families.
Head Start works with children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and
their families.
The Southwest Arkansas Development Council serves 454 children and their
families. The award is a non-competing continuation grant that will go
into effect January 1, 2004. |
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