CHENANGO COUNTY – Those who have heard of Chenango County's Head Start program may imagine little ones having fun and participating in activities to prepare them for school. Fun and activities are certainly a part of the program, but a visit to Opportunities for Chenango, Inc., of which Head Start is a member, revealed a multi-faceted, family-oriented program that has cemented itself as an important community asset.
“I was blown away with what this agency does,” said Kelly Ingham, RN and Health Services Coordinator. “We are here to serve the whole family.”
The program consists of Head Start, which enrolls children from three to five years in age, and Early Head Start, that serves pregnant women and children from birth to age three and incorporates home visits. The program is voluntary and free depending upon how a family falls in the income guidelines. Head Start mainly offers services to low-income families, and a minimum of 10 percent of children enrolled have diagnosed disabilities. The overarching goal is to make all children school-ready.
“Head Start works, we see tremendous growth,” said Karen Randall, the Head Start and Early Head Start Director.
Head Start provides education, resources, and support for families in the areas of child development, nutrition, health and family development. “We help parents feel good about themselves,” Randall said. “We're the support for the family so they can achieve goals they set for themselves.”
The Head Start Child Development Coordinator, Brenda O'Connell, explained that the program is sustainable for families because it provides comprehensive services to address any problems/inhibitions that children and families may face.
“If a child is hungry, they can't learn,” she said. “We look at the whole child, the whole family... We need to be able to meet each individual's needs to be school-ready.”
She explained that many of the children who arrive come in with low math skills. Head Start addresses these needs, as well as provides education through fun and creative educational activities, field trips and training.
Ingham raised other issues that Head Start addresses in order to meet all needs a child might have. All children who are enrolled are given screenings for their overall health, hearing, and sight. Head Start partners with local agencies and businesses in order to meet any health needs the children may have, such as free dental days.
She recounted one story in which a boy received glasses for the first time, which were desperately needed. He later told his parents that he didn't know there were leaves on trees before he had his glasses. Ingham added that a lot of children have a huge need for dental work.
Head Start focuses on providing healthy, fresh meals to all of its children. During the past program year, 38,500 meals and snacks were served in classrooms and socialization sessions.
Abby Cortez is the Family Services Coordinator, and works with families by organizing the family advocate home visitors. “We work with families and help them find their strengths and set goals,” she said. “We look at things like food, housing, education and employment. We support family and children health.”
Early Head Start ensures that pregnant women and families with babies receive home visits to offer the best support, and to educate the family about child development.
Parents have the opportunity to be a part of the Head Start Policy Council and can share their skills with other parents. Head Start will often host group meetings in which parents can learn skills such as food preservation and how to grow vegetables in order to address the severe issue of food insecurity, a problem faced by a number of families in the area. Parents also teach each other useful skills from first aid and CPR to cake decorating.
“They share their strengths with other parents,” Cortez said of the partnership that occurs between various families.
Cortez remembered one parent who had a little boy with special needs, and did not feel like she could handle it anymore. After participating in Head Start, the parent became very involved with her child, became a leader in the Head Start Policy Council, and is now enrolled in college. Cortez emphasized how monumental a change this is for a woman who felt helpless four years ago.
As a federally funded program, Head Start is required to raise 25 cents for every dollar it receives from federal monies. Consequently, donations of any amount are greatly appreciated. In keeping with its community focus, Head Start shops as locally as possible as well as uses local services in order to keep funds in the local economy.
“We try to be engaged in the community at all levels,” Cortez said.
For more information about enrollment or to make a donation, call 334-7114.