Thompson Announces $4.9 Million Head Start Grant for Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today announced a $4,965,527 Head Start Grant for Community Action Partnership (CAP) of Sonoma County. The funding will be used to provide Head Start and Early Head Start services to 552 children and their families at 12 center based sites throughout Sonoma County.

"Head Start and Early Head Start are about making sure our kids have a foundation for success that's rooted in education and strong, healthy development," said Thompson. "No one does better work when it comes to running these programs than CAP. This grant will help them continue their great work, and I am proud to continually support their efforts."

"We are pleased to partner with the Office of Head Start to provide this resource to assure that children are ready to enter school." said Tim Reese, executive director of Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County. "Head Start is a key partner in assuring that we meet our collective Health Action vision of Sonoma County being the heathiest place to live by 2020."

Federal Head Start and Early Head Start programs promote the school readiness of children ages birth to 5 from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social and emotional development. Head Start programs provide comprehensive services to enrolled children and their families, which include health, nutrition, social services and other services determined to be necessary by family needs assessments, in addition to education and cognitive development services.

For every dollar spent on Head Start, our country realizes almost nine dollars in benefits through participants' increased earnings, decreased welfare dependence and other factors.

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