Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $1,055,689 for Opportunities for Broome Inc. and $1,538,197 for Opportunities for Chenango, Inc,. The federal funding will provide early child education to children in the Southern Tier.
“This is great news for Broome and Chenango County children and families,” Senator Gillibrand said. “These federal dollars will help deliver quality child care, healthy food and other critical services to families who desperately need it in these tough economic times.”
Opportunities for Broom Head Start Director Martha Kirby said “We are very pleased to hear of the grant approval for our program. These funds ensure that 259 low income children in rural Broome County will continue to receive high quality early childhood services and build the skills necessary for success in public school.”
Opportunities for Chenango Head Start Director Karen Randall said “The Chenango County Head Start Program is pleased to have received the grant award of $1,538,197 to offer comprehensive Early and Preschool Head Start services to 319 families throughout Chenango County. A total of $ 2,538,228 has been awarded from the Department of Health and Human Services to administer the program for 2012.”
The primary purpose of Head Start and Early Head Start programs is to provide comprehensive child development programs for children at birth and to age 5, pregnant women, and families. The programs are child-focused and have the goal of getting low income children ready for school.
Opportunities for Broome, Inc. provides comprehensive child development programs to children age three to five, pregnant women and their families. They also assist individuals and families to improve their quality of life while working to improve life skills for self-improvement.
Opportunities for Chenango in Norwich is a community action agency that specializes in programs that are rooted in child and family development, housing security, life skills training, employment and economic development and look to empower families and individuals to better themselves.