Washington, DC – U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $1,915,574 in federal funding for Head Start and Early Head Start programs at Cattaraugus County Head Start, Inc. The federal funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and will be used to support child care services for low-income families in Cattaraugus and Wyoming counties.
“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 Cattaraugus County Head Start, Inc. will bring real results to young students in Western New York 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 will continue to fight to see that early childhood education remains a priority.”
“Head Start and Early Head Start help make sure that families throughout Cattaraugus County and Wyoming counties have access to early childhood care services and education,” said Senator Gillibrand. “These federal funds will help lower the costs of early childhood development programs to ensure that vulnerable children in our communities have the tools they need to get a strong start in life. I will always fight in the Senate to provide high-quality programs that help our families succeed.”
“This represents the second part of our annual funding and will absolutely help us fulfill our mission of getting kids in Wyoming and Cattaraugus County get ready for school. I’d like to thank Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and all our elected officials for their continued support of the Head Start Program,” said Ira Katzenstein, Executive Director of Cattaraugus & Wyoming Project Head Start.
Head Start and Early 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.