Press Release

Gillibrand Announces Over $7.5 Million Coming to Head Start Program on Long Island

Feb 28, 2012

Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $7,679,246 for Long Island Child and Family Development Services, Inc. The federal funding will provide early child education to Long Island children. 

“This is great news for Suffolk 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.” 

Chief Executive Officer of Long Island Head Start, Debrah Garcia said “We are overwhelmingly grateful that our Grant has been approved.  Long Island Head Start has been providing comprehensive child and family support services to at-risk families in Suffolk County for over 45 years. The current economic problems facing our nation are gravely impacting the most vulnerable families and the entire Head Start community. The renewal of our Grant means that we will continue to help the neediest of families in Suffolk County achieve a level of self-sufficiency necessary to sustain quality of life. While we are now servicing more than 2000 children annually, our waiting lists continue to grow, as the chasm of economic disparity on Long Island widens. On behalf of the infants, toddlers and pre-school children and their families, Long Island Head Start is thankful that we will be able to continue to provide the services needed to build a stronger, brighter future for some of the most at-risk members of our Long Island community.” 

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. 

Serving Suffolk County since 1966 through 22 locations throughout Long Island, Long Island Child and Family Development Services, Inc. provides low income families with the resources to empower themselves for self-improvement as well as comprehensive childhood development and family support for Long Island families.