VA Gets $9.5 Million for Early Head Start
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December 21, 2009
RICHMOND, Virg. - Hundreds more pregnant women, infants and toddlers will be added to Virginia's Early Head Start program, thanks to a $9.5-million award of federal stimulus money.
Jon Morris, executive director of STEP Incorporated, a community action agency serving Franklin and Patrick Counties, says a key part of the Early Head Start program is a home-based component that brings help directly to new parents who may be struggling.
"They'll go into the homes and they'll teach the parents about different parenting skills, about proper nutrition; things of that nature."
Morris says his center in Rocky Mount focuses not only on children and day care, but other services for low-income parents.
"We also work with the families to help them if they need assistance finding employment, if they need assistance finding better housing. Whatever it is that the family needs, that's what we're there to provide."
Zelda Boyd, with the Division of Childcare and Early Childhood Development for the Virginia Department of Social Services, says the funds will be used to assist low-income families statewide.
"We anticipate that approximately 800 additional women, infants and toddlers will be served through the expansion of the funding."
Early Head Start serves pregnant women and infants up to age three. In addition to the home program, the money will support the area's only low-income childcare center, allowing parents to return to work, which advocates say will boost the local economy.
The name STEP Incorporated stands for Support to Eliminate Poverty.