WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $2,710,080 to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs for Ocean Community Economic Action Now (O.C.E.A.N.), Inc.
“Every child in New Jersey, regardless of which zip code they live in, deserves the opportunity for high-quality early childhood education in order to reach their full potential in school and beyond,” said Sen. Menendez. “These federal investments in Head Start and Early Head Start are so important because these programs work and make a real difference for our youngest children.”
“Quality early education programs like Head Start are the key to cultivating the skills children need to ensure future success,” said Sen. Booker. “In New Jersey, Head Start programs have provided engaging opportunities for our youngest citizens to create, learn, and explore. This federal investment will help provide students the tools they need to reach their full potential and succeed well into the future.”
O.C.E.A.N., Inc. combines affordable quality child care with an early childhood development curriculum. The goal of the program is to help children grow physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively at their own pace.
Both Head Start and Early Head Start provide comprehensive child development programs for low-income children, from birth to age five, and their families. The program has been shown to improve educational outcomes for participating students, including by increasing rates of high school graduation and college attendance. Community organizations are awarded grants to provide Head Start services in their community through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
