FAYETTEVILLE — The United States Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has awarded Action Pathways, Inc. (API) a new five-year Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) grant for the Cumberland County area. The grant will provide HS/EHS services encompassing early learning and development, health, and family well-being to hundreds of pre-school children, infants and toddlers.
HS is a federally funded child development program that provides free social and educational opportunities to prepare income-eligible children from birth through age 5 with essential skills needed to enter the public school system. HS is provided at no cost to eligible participants. HS/EHS programs promote infants’ and toddlers’ physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development through safe and enriching care-giving. HS/EHS programs support families, including expectant mothers, parents, and other adults, as primary caregivers and teachers of their children. To qualify for HS/EHS, household income must be at or below the poverty level.
Since 1965, API has been a leader in child care for ages birth to 5. API has successfully operated more than 30 quality HS/EHS Centers throughout Cumberland County. Thousands of children have benefited from the Head Start Project since its inception.
“We are so thankful to the Office of Head Start for this funding,” said API Board of Directors Chairman Glenn Adams. “This grant will not only enable us to continue to provide quality childhood education to hundreds of children, it will also allow us to reach even more children and give them the right start to their education, as well as their social and emotional development. I appreciate the tremendous efforts of the CEO and leadership of Action Pathways in securing this funding, and the work they do every day.”
While continuing to offer HS services, the new grant has a greater focus on EHS with the rationale that earlier intervention will lead to better outcomes. The science of early childhood development confirms that infancy and toddler-hood are times of intense intellectual engagement. Furthermore, babies and toddlers living in high-risk environments need additional support to promote their healthy growth and development. API’s greater focus is on serving this under-served demographic in our community.
“Our amazing staff has worked so hard to secure this funding so that we can continue and expand our early education programs,” said API CEO Lonnie Ballard, Jr. “It’s been well proven that when a child’s education begins in their early years, the positive effects on their well-being and social-emotional health will be immeasurable. We look forward to continuing Action Pathways’ goal of serving the most vulnerable members of our community, starting, most importantly, with our children.”
Applications to apply for available slots into the HS/EHS program are available online at https://actionpathways.ngo/our-programs/head-start/how-to-apply/. For additional information regarding enrollment, please call 910-487-9800.