Washington, DC – U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $3,026,912 in federal funding for Ulster County Community Action Committee, Inc. The funding was provided by the Department of Health and Human Services Head Start and Early Head Program. It will be used to provide early childhood development programs for 223 Head Start-eligible children and 32 Early Head Start-eligible children. The programs would benefit families in Kingston, Ellenville, Plattekill and Saugerties.
“Study after study shows that the better we prepare our young children through programs like Head Start and Early Head Start, the better they perform in school later in life,” said Senator Schumer. “This federal funding for Ulster County Community Action Committee, Inc. will bring real results to young students in Ulster County by providing them with the resources they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom. I am proud to support this essential funding and I will continue to fight to see that early childhood education remains a priority.”
“All children deserve to get a strong start in life, and programs such as Head Start and Early Head Start are indispensable for low-income families who want to make sure that their children have access to high-quality early education and child care,” said Senator Gillibrand. “With this funding, Ulster County Community Action Committee will be able to support a robust program that will help families throughout the county, and I will always work in the Senate to make sure our children have the resources they need to succeed.”
“We are pleased that Ulster County Community Action has been the provider of quality Head Start/Early Head Start Services, meeting this critical need for comprehensive early childhood services for Ulster County children, birth to five, since 1967. We are appreciative of Senator Gillibrand’s support of the Head Start/Early Head Start program,” said Pamela S. Wenner, Head Start/Early Head Start Program Director.
Head Start and Early Head Start Head Start provide comprehensive child development programs for low-income children from birth to age five, as well as support and services for their families. Head Start programs primarily serve children aged three to five, while Early Head Start serves pregnant women, infants, and toddlers. The comprehensive services these programs offer include early education, health screenings, social and emotional health, nutrition, social services, and services for children with disabilities.