Today, the Cumberland Community Action Program, Inc. (CCAP)’s Head Start Program announces the receipt of funding for ongoing quality enhancements. The first of the anticipated American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) recovery funding received by CCAP, this award will enhance the program through educational opportunities for staff and fund a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).
Program enhancements, or Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) initiatives, are a critical part of the mission of Head Start and CCAP. With a Federal mandate that all Head Start teachers have their bachelor’s degree by 2013, $195,843 of the award is intended to provide postsecondary education opportunities to current Head Start teachers and family advocates.
The funding will also support the creation of two new family advocate positions. Family advocates assist the parents of some 750 Head Start children in identifying and pursuing education and work-related goals.
“As we approach the new school year, the potential to increase the level and scope of service we provide is exciting,” remarks Donna Barnette, Acting Head Start Director. “Top priorities we will address with recovery funds are the implementation of creative solutions to employee retention—sustaining jobs—by supporting efforts to meet the bachelor’s degree requirement.”
Barnette continues, “CCAP anticipates receiving an additional round of recovery funding to be used to offer the full suite of Head Start services to more preschool children.”
The board and management of CCAP, committed to bringing recovery funds to Cumberland County, submitted grant applications as part of a nationwide competitive process. The applications are currently under review by the Office of Head Start in Washington, DC. If approved, CCAP Head Start will have space for an additional 150 children reducing the current waiting list of more than 790 eligible Cumberland County children.
The effect this and additional anticipated funding would have throughout Cumberland County will be to increase the dollars CCAP spends for salaries, classroom space, and products that support child development activities.
Additional CCAP programs receiving and anticipating the release of recovery funding are Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), the Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina (SHFB), Self-Sufficiency programs (Community Service Block Grant -CSBG), and Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Fayetteville (CCCS).
