Head Start Programs: Parent Tips for Feeding Young Children When it comes to feeding toddlers, it can be very challenging for parents and teachers alike. Part of the success of Head Start Programs is their commitment to nutritional education and exposure to new foods that can help kids to make healthier choices as they grow. With all of the mixed information available to parents these days, it can make knowing what is healthy – and what isn’t – very difficult to understand. Feeding young children, whether at home or in Head Start Programs, can be very challenging. The tips provided here are designed to help parents and teachers provide the...

Closures Still Happening Nationwide: Head Start Budget Issues Despite the fact that Sequestration is over and that funds have been allotted by the federal government in the most recent budget for the early childhood education program known as Head Start, closures are still happening nationwide. Administrators who were unable to make ends meet and manage Head Start purchases in order to keep the doors open are sadly having to cut spaces or close down programs entirely. The fallout from these past budget cuts is still affecting the children and families who depend on these programs for education, healthcare, nutrition and support in just about every state. Children and Families Feel...

The Many Benefits of Early Education Programs for Families Head Start administrators have an awesome responsibility. Studies show that early education programs have many more benefits than previous realized. Getting children ready for school by teaching them the basic fundamentals, which are often missed out on in low-income family situations where private preschool is not in the budget, is just part of the equation. Setting up a basic standard of healthcare, providing healthy nutrition, dental care opportunities and encouraging family participation are just some of the other jobs that Head Start administrators undertake. Budgeting for Benefits It is important for Head Start Programs to offer children and their families as...

Head Start Programs: Avoid Food Mistakes for Better Health One of the great things about the Head Start Program is its commitment to early childhood nutrition and building healthy eating habits. They teach kids and parents about improving diet by introducing healthy fresh fruits and vegetables in order to encourage a lifetime of good skills. Children can be picky eaters, but there are ways to help them try new things without making mistakes that could be stumbling blocks throughout their childhood. Bad habits can lead to health problems, such as diabetes, childhood obesity and other issues that could pose as a challenge later in life. Head Start Program administrators know...

The Economic Value of Head Start Programs for Pre-K Education Whenever budget issues are discussed at the federal level, early childhood education and Head Start programs get scrutinized and criticized. Despite the fact that local leaders, like Bill deBlasio, the mayor of New York City, are calling for more funding to be put to use in pre-kindergarten programs, partisan politics can still hurt these important services. Once elected to office, Mayor deBlasio argued with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo about funding for the pre-K program, but they didn’t debate whether or not funding such a program was the right thing to do. Both men, despite their difference in politics, understood...

Joining a School Supply Savings Purchasing Program Can Help With so many low-income children and their families in-need of the help that can come from early childhood education, it can be difficult for administrators to work with the limits that come with the annual Head Start program budget. In recent years, many local programs have had to rely on other ways to produce school supply savings, cut administrative costs and lower office or janitorial supply purchases in order to work with the federal Head Start budget cuts. Some programs were unable to achieve the required cuts and were forced to reduce space for local children, while others were forced to...

FoodSource Plus Provides Nutrition and Savings to Head Start One of the core components of running a program under the National Head Start Association is to provide participants with quality nutrition services. The Head Start Nutrition program provides guidelines based on all of the rules and regulations required by the USDA child and adult care food program. In addition to providing the children who participate in Head Start programs with nutritious meals, the goal is to create a social and educational experience at mealtimes to integrate discussion of food, health and daily activities as a means of improving communication and conversational skills. Responsibility and teamwork are also educational benefits from...

How to Reduce Head Start Budgets and Survive the Federal Cuts The past couple of years have been difficult for Head Start program administrators and the families across America who depend upon Head Start for nutritional, health and early learning programs. In light of cuts to the Head Start budgets by the federal government, many administrators have been forced to reduce Head Start budgets by cutting staff, reducing the number of spots available to needy families or by closing their doors completely. Costs Associated With Running a Head Start Program In addition to all of the costs associated with the daily administrative operations of a Head Start program, there are...

Why FoodSource Plus Helps the National Head Start Association With a team of professional, experienced and knowledgeable purchase management consultants on staff, a company like FoodSource Plus could do anything it wanted, help any industry and make millions doing it. However, the goal of FoodSource Plus is to be a service to non-profit organizations like the National Head Start Association and other human service programs to help make the world a better place. Studies show continually the benefits that come from early education programs. Many low-income children and families do not have access to quality preschools, making early learning services like Head Start even more valuable and important to help...

Learn to Manage Head Start Purchases and Save Your School It has been over a year since the 2013 sequestration budget cuts hit Head Start administrators with a limited set of choices: lower costs for Head Start by reducing staff and available spots for students or shut down. However, as many schools discovered, there was another option. Many administrators took a look at their existing budgets and decided to take the road less traveled and learn how to better manage Head Start purchases to cut expenses instead of cutting staff or spots for students. Quite a few schools were able to effectively lower costs for Head Start and stay open...