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Hillsborough County is receiving the largest Early Head Start American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant award in the State of Florida, and its Head Start program is destined to remain one of the largest programs in the Southeastern United States. Hillsborough County Head Start/ Early Head Start was awarded $11.7 million dollars to expand both programs beginning in January 2010.
These funds, awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will be received over a two-year period and will boost the total number of infants, toddlers, children and pregnant mothers served by more than 10 percent. In addition, these funds will create or retain 90 jobs. Newly hired positions will include early childhood teaching positions and as coordinators for social services.
To accomplish their goal of serving more than 400 new children, the expansion projects will be operated by Hillsborough County as well as community partners.
Early Head Start Innovations
Hillsborough County is partnering with Lutheran Services Florida and the Tampa Metropolitan YMCA. Together, they will provide education, health, nutrition and family services to 252 infants from birth to age three, as well as to pregnant women of low-income families..
The majority of the children will be served through family child care homes, a popular child care choice for many parents, but a rare option for Early Head Start. .
"Our program will now become the largest family child care provider in the nation for Early Head Start," said Pat Bean, Hillsborough County Administrator. "This service concept puts Hillsborough County at the forefront."
The two new partners bring a great depth of experience to this collaborative effort. The Tampa Metropolitan YMCA has tremendous experience in the child care field and in training home child care providers. Lutheran Services Florida currently operates the largest child care food program in the state..
Head Start Expansion
With a waiting list exceeding 2,000 pre-school aged children, Hillsborough County Head Start will use its $3.1 million in areas of the county where the need is the greatest.
"We're seeing a lot of applications to our program from the Gibsonton, Riverview and Central Tampa areas," said Louis A. Finney, Jr., the Director of Head Start/ Early Head Start for Hillsborough County "This expansion will allow us to serve more children from those areas plus many other areas in need."
The additional Head Start funding will expand the program?s partnerships for providing services with Hillsborough County Public Schools and Easter Seals and establish a new relationship with Metropolitan Ministries to serve homeless pre-school aged children.
Hillsborough County Head Start/ Early Head Start, a division of the Department of Children?s Services, is a four-time nationally recognized Program of Excellence by the National Head Start Association and received the 2007 Federally Reviewed Gold Seal. October is Head Start Awareness Month. Please visit www.hillsboroughcounty.org/headstart for more information about celebration activities and details about the program.
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