Head Start Program Encourages Fathers and Male Figure Involvement A Head Start Program in Bogalusa, Louisiana launched an event that was aimed at getting male family members more involved in the local early childhood learning program. Dads for December is a hands-on opportunity for fathers, grandfathers, godfathers, uncles and other significant male figures to become more involved in a child’s life. The Dads for December program is one of four events that are held each year at the local Head Start Program under a wider opportunity known as Head Start’s Dedicated Dads. The program encourages participation between male figures and children to complete craft projects, giving fathers and other important...

Restoration of Lost Head Start Program Seats Could Happen if Budget Deal Passes The bi-partisan federal budget deal that is currently being considered in Washington, D.C. could bring back some of the funding that was taken from early childhood education programs like the Head Start Program in March 2013. In addition to returning what has been estimated as 50 percent of the reduced budget, legislators could pave the way to restore the 57,000 slots that were reduced during sequestration. The deal was announced by Congress as a bi-partisan compromise, which would at the very least partially restore the budget cuts. Exact figures on the restoration won’t be available until the...

Sequestration Still Hurting Head Start Programs Nationwide While sequestration started back in 2011 as a means to reduce federal government spending, its effects are still being felt by programs such as Head Start, and will likely continue to be felt for years to come. Fully in effect beginning March 1, 2013, many Head Start program administrators began scrambling to find new and innovative ways to reduce supply costs and spending across the board. Unfortunately, these budget cuts have led to a loss of spots for children and their families who rely on the Head Start program for educational and nutritional support and have cut jobs for teachers and administrators who...

5 Ways to Save Money on Your Head Start Program Office Supplies With so many Head Start programs scrambling to save money in their budgets in order to keep the programs open and available to children and families in-need, one of the first places you can start saving money right away is in the purchasing of office supplies. Believe it or not, billions of dollars are spent each year by businesses in the United States on office supplies. If you do not learn how to control these expenditures, they can begin to add up very quickly. This article will focus on the five top ways that Head Start programs can...

Obesity Prevention Programs Start Early at Head Start Programs Nationwide One of the major advantages of enrolling a child into a local Head Start Program, which provides educational and nutritional support to low-income families with children under the age of six, is early learning that is centered around healthy eating. Programs that feed the children who attend Head Start fresh fruit and promote healthy physical activity programs score higher than programs that serve canned fruits and have limited access to physical activity. A study was recently conducted with regard to obesity prevention at Head Start programs across our nation. The period of time that these programs were surveyed was between...

Nutritional Insight into Eating Patterns of American Children Age 2+ When it comes to evaluating the overall health and well-being of children in America, it all comes down to a good quality diet consisting of healthy food choices. Perhaps one of the greatest strengths of the Head Start program is the nutritional education and support received by children and their families. Shaping healthy attitudes toward food that nourishes their bodies – as opposed to unhealthy foods that simply look or taste good – is what is making the biggest impact in changing the health of young Americans. According to a report released by the CDC in 2013, in addition to...

Tips to Help You Stretch Your Head Start Budget As federal budget cuts overwhelm Head Start programs from coast to coast, it can become essential for administrators to look for new ways to reduce supply costs in order to stretch their annual budget. While the primary goal of these programs is to provide education, medical and nutritional services to children and families living below the poverty line, it can be a full time job for administrators to figure out how to keep their costs under control. It is possible to reduce the costs associated with an annual Head Start budget without cutting essential services, supplies and programs for the children...

How Has the Government Shutdown Affected Head Start Programs? The Head Start Program is a federally funded program that provides school preparation training for children ages six and under who live in low-income families. In addition to preparing children for grade school, Head Start also provides important services relating to cognitive development, nutrition and health to underprivileged children living in poverty. Head Start Closures Nationwide The 2013 Government Shutdown forced Head Start programs nationwide to shut down after funds required to run this important service became unavailable. Head Start Programs located in the states of Alabama, Connecticut, Florida and Mississippi have closed as a direct result of the shutdown, leaving...

  How to Reduce Waste to Help Lower Your Head Start Food Budget One of the ways that Head Start administrators can save money on their budget and lower food costs is to focus on figuring out new ways to reduce food waste. By implementing specific waste minimization practices, program administrators can lower their overhead expenses and reduce waste disposal costs, while still providing proper nutrition for their students. Studies show that by implementing the policies below to reduce food waste, it is possible to lower food costs by as much as 40-60 percent. In addition to making smarter purchases by using an outsourced program, such as Food Source Plus,...

Good News for Head Start Programs Despite Cuts in Federal Funding Head Start programs in America have been on the wrong end of budget cuts in recent months. It started with sequestration, which resulted in cuts to Head Start program that went into effect in March of this year, following across-the-board reductions to government funded programs. The government shutdown did little to help the already struggling program by stalling grants that were due to have been issued to Head Start to keep it afloat on October 1st. Angel Investors Fortunately for 7,200 children who depend on the Head Start program for meals, medical screenings and preschool training, a couple from...