Nov. 25, 2009
Southwestern Community Action, Others Receive Stimulus Funding
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Beckley, WV (HNN) – U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-WV announced Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 that $2,950,991 in competitive grant funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is being awarded to Early Head Start Programs across southern West Virginia.
“An early head start not only makes the race for success more competitive for all our kids, it makes America more competitive in the world marketplace. It's one of the most valuable investments we as a Nation can make.” said Rahall. “The Recovery Act, which I supported, is creating jobs and making a difference. As a father and grandfather I know that learning from a young age can make all the difference in a child’s future, that is why I work for head start and early head start programs; they are helping parents to be better parents and our children to be prepared when they start school.”
The grants will be awarded to five community programs in southern West Virginia to add or expand Early Head Start Programs-- an education intervention program focused on children from birth to three years of age, and prenatal mothers. The funds will be used to hire staff, cover programmatic costs, and for program facilities to assist families in their respective service-area communities:
- $448,769 for Early Head Start for Monroe County Schools
- $471,887 Southwestern Community Action Council, Inc. in Huntington, W.Va.
- $512,034 MountainHeart Community Services in Oceana, W.Va.
- $659,814 Fayette County Child Development, Inc.
- $858,487 Community Action of Southern Eastern West Virginia in Bluefield, W.Va.
Monroe County Early Head Start program funding will be used to construct a new facility on the campus of the James Monroe High School and Vocational School to add services for 40 children from birth to age three. Currently, the Head Start Program serves 59 children and their families across Monroe County.
“Early Head Start has been a vision for our county for many years,” said Jeana Comer Carr, Director of Monroe County Head Start Program. “Our goal is to help parents be better parents and be more knowledgeable. We need to address learning problems our children may have way before they reach kindergarten, so they are on tract and ready to learn. We appreciate Congressman Rahall and everyone that was involved in the grant process and award.”
Southwestern Community Action Council, Inc. plans to expand and serve an additional 24 families: eight in Cabell County and 16 in Mason County. The Early Head Start Program currently serves 110 children and families in Cabell, Lincoln and Wayne counties.
“We are very excited to be able to serve some of the neediest families and expand our services into Mason County,” said Dwight Coburn, Chief Executive Officer, Southwestern Community Action Council, Inc.
Currently, Fayette County Child Development serves 248 Fayette County families through their regular Head Start program. Funding a new Early Head Start program will serve 32 additional children, from birth to age three, plus eight pre-natal (pregnant) mothers for a total of 40 families in Fayette County. This new Early Head Start program is targeted to start next March, but the hiring process will begin the week after Thanksgiving.
“This ARRA money will allow us to create eleven new jobs and also allow us to increase hours for four current staff people, meaning they will be employed a full 12 months instead of partial year,” explained Keith Young, Executive Director, Fayette County Child Development, Inc.
Community Action of South Eastern West Virginia will expand their program to serve 80 additional children, families, and pregnant mothers. It will also add eight teaching staff, four home visitors, and three additional support staff. This program will have added focus on teenage mothers and plans call for establishing a new transitional classroom at Hinton High School in Summers County.
“We are pleased and excited to be able to include these additional families in our program. This will have a marvelous impact on the communities we serve,” said Darlene Martin, Head Start Director for Community Action of South Eastern West Virginia. “This fills an important gap in services for these high risk children, period.”
Grant funding awarded to MountainHeart Community Services will expand their program to serve an additional 36 families, 26 infants and toddlers and 10 pregnant women, throughout Wyoming County. It will also add eight new job positions and open two new classrooms for infants and toddlers-- one in the Pineville area, and one in the Oceana area. MountainHeart currently serves 300 Head Start and Early Head Start families. The total with this expansion will be 336.
“Strengthening families with infants and toddlers in Wyoming County will be a benefit realized for years to come for our community. This grant for expansion will give MountainHeart Community Services, Inc. an opportunity to build on an existing foundation of quality services meeting the needs of children, families, and the community,” said Susan Stafford, Director Head Start/Early Head Start, MountainHeart.
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Southwestern Community Action, Others Receive Stimulus Funding
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Beckley, WV (HNN) – U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-WV announced Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 that $2,950,991 in competitive grant funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is being awarded to Early Head Start Programs across southern West Virginia.
“An early head start not only makes the race for success more competitive for all our kids, it makes America more competitive in the world marketplace. It's one of the most valuable investments we as a Nation can make.” said Rahall. “The Recovery Act, which I supported, is creating jobs and making a difference. As a father and grandfather I know that learning from a young age can make all the difference in a child’s future, that is why I work for head start and early head start programs; they are helping parents to be better parents and our children to be prepared when they start school.”
The grants will be awarded to five community programs in southern West Virginia to add or expand Early Head Start Programs-- an education intervention program focused on children from birth to three years of age, and prenatal mothers. The funds will be used to hire staff, cover programmatic costs, and for program facilities to assist families in their respective service-area communities:
- $448,769 for Early Head Start for Monroe County Schools
- $471,887 Southwestern Community Action Council, Inc. in Huntington, W.Va.
- $512,034 MountainHeart Community Services in Oceana, W.Va.
- $659,814 Fayette County Child Development, Inc.
- $858,487 Community Action of Southern Eastern West Virginia in Bluefield, W.Va.
Monroe County Early Head Start program funding will be used to construct a new facility on the campus of the James Monroe High School and Vocational School to add services for 40 children from birth to age three. Currently, the Head Start Program serves 59 children and their families across Monroe County.
“Early Head Start has been a vision for our county for many years,” said Jeana Comer Carr, Director of Monroe County Head Start Program. “Our goal is to help parents be better parents and be more knowledgeable. We need to address learning problems our children may have way before they reach kindergarten, so they are on tract and ready to learn. We appreciate Congressman Rahall and everyone that was involved in the grant process and award.”
Southwestern Community Action Council, Inc. plans to expand and serve an additional 24 families: eight in Cabell County and 16 in Mason County. The Early Head Start Program currently serves 110 children and families in Cabell, Lincoln and Wayne counties.
“We are very excited to be able to serve some of the neediest families and expand our services into Mason County,” said Dwight Coburn, Chief Executive Officer, Southwestern Community Action Council, Inc.
Currently, Fayette County Child Development serves 248 Fayette County families through their regular Head Start program. Funding a new Early Head Start program will serve 32 additional children, from birth to age three, plus eight pre-natal (pregnant) mothers for a total of 40 families in Fayette County. This new Early Head Start program is targeted to start next March, but the hiring process will begin the week after Thanksgiving.
“This ARRA money will allow us to create eleven new jobs and also allow us to increase hours for four current staff people, meaning they will be employed a full 12 months instead of partial year,” explained Keith Young, Executive Director, Fayette County Child Development, Inc.
Community Action of South Eastern West Virginia will expand their program to serve 80 additional children, families, and pregnant mothers. It will also add eight teaching staff, four home visitors, and three additional support staff. This program will have added focus on teenage mothers and plans call for establishing a new transitional classroom at Hinton High School in Summers County.
“We are pleased and excited to be able to include these additional families in our program. This will have a marvelous impact on the communities we serve,” said Darlene Martin, Head Start Director for Community Action of South Eastern West Virginia. “This fills an important gap in services for these high risk children, period.”
Grant funding awarded to MountainHeart Community Services will expand their program to serve an additional 36 families, 26 infants and toddlers and 10 pregnant women, throughout Wyoming County. It will also add eight new job positions and open two new classrooms for infants and toddlers-- one in the Pineville area, and one in the Oceana area. MountainHeart currently serves 300 Head Start and Early Head Start families. The total with this expansion will be 336.
“Strengthening families with infants and toddlers in Wyoming County will be a benefit realized for years to come for our community. This grant for expansion will give MountainHeart Community Services, Inc. an opportunity to build on an existing foundation of quality services meeting the needs of children, families, and the community,” said Susan Stafford, Director Head Start/Early Head Start, MountainHeart.
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