Bishop announces grant for Fort Valley State Head Start

Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) is pleased to announce that Fort Valley State University – Georgia's 1890 land-grant institution – has been awarded a grant of $6,494,625 from the Department of Health and Human Services' Early Head Start Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) and Early Head Start Expansion Program.

These funds will go toward ensuring quality, affordable childcare services, early childhood development, and increased school readiness in Peach County and Middle Georgia.

Fort Valley State University operates two Head Start programs in Macon County, one at the Elementary School in Oglethorpe and one at Marshallville in the historic Lamson-Richardson School.

Bishop read a story for kids, ages 3 and 4, at the Oglethorpe School. The Head Start director there is Angie McDonald.

Staff members accompanying Bishop said they enjoyed the story and the children. "The kids close out with a song, "Five little monkeys swinging in the tree … You can't catch me." "They were adorable, mannerable, and attentive," a Bishop staff member said.

Regarding the importance of the grant, Bishop said, "Research has shown us that the first few years of life are crucial to shaping a child's health and ability to learn in school. The average cost of child and infant care in Georgia is about $7,000 per year per child, which is often greater than the annual tuition to attend a state college or university. Our low-income, middle-income, and rural families often struggle to find enough well-trained child care providers. These federal funds will allow Fort Valley State University to partner with local organizations and parents to expand access to high-quality child and family support systems that help infants and toddlers."

"The federally funded EHS-CCP Program is an essential resource to the surrounding communities as it provides services to 412 children and their families across eight counties: Crawford, Crisp, Dooly, Macon, Peach, Pulaski, Taylor, and Telfair. FVSU collaborates with 11 childcare partners who operate independently owned centers to provide childcare services," said Dr. Francine Hollis, Department Chair and Executive Director of Fort Valley State University's Head Start/Early Head Start Program. "These funds will help us provide a broad range of care and services, from medical, mental, and dental care to disabilities services and making sure children have healthy food to grow. Working with families, we are making sure that our community's children have a strong start to life and increasing their chance for educational and professional success down the road."

The Early Head Start Child Care Partnership was created by Congress in 2014.