Local leaders meet with congressman to discuss local head start program

Thursday, 20 October 2011 by Keith Bahlmann

Central Texas 4C Inc. Head Start Director Marina Tharpe and Executive Director Janell Frazier met with Rep. John Carter last week in Washington D.C. to discuss the local impact of the head start program.Two leaders of the Central Texas 4C, Inc. Head Start Program met with Rep. John Carter (R-Round Rock) last week while attending a National Head Start conference in Washington D.C.

Marina Tharpe, Head Start Director, and Janell Frazier, Executive Director, shared information with the congressman about the impact 4C has on the local economy.

Central Texas 4C provides 165 jobs and serves more than 700 low-income children annually in the Centroplex.

Thirty-one percent of 4C's staff is either a current or former Head Start parent — moving from extreme poverty, homelessness and migrant farm programs to being totally self sufficient.

That is because the Head Start program not only works with the children, but with the families as well.

To qualify for the Head Start program, children must be between the ages of 0 and 5 years old and meet the Federal poverty guidelines.

According to the 2010 Census, more than 8,000 children met that criteria in the Centroplex area, an increase since the last census.

The census also noted that one out of every four children in America (26 percent) lives in poverty.

The local program has been recognized for high quality services and the ability to document each child's outcome.

Central Texas 4C operates four centers in Belton, five centers in Temple and six centers in Killeen, including the new downtown location and one center serving infants and toddlers 0-3 years old in Copperas Cove.

More information is available at any center or at the administration office in Temple, located at 504 N. Fifth St.

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