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NYC Gazette

Sunday, October 6, 2024

Heastie announces $3M funding for expanding head start program in Saratoga County

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Carl E. Heastie District 83 | Official website

Carl E. Heastie District 83 | Official website

Speaker Carl Heastie made a stop on his annual statewide tour in Saratoga County, joining Assemblymember Carrie Woerner in visiting a Head Start classroom in Jefferson Terrace. They participated in story time and announced $3 million in funding for a new and larger space to expand Head Start to more children across Saratoga County.

“Research continues to highlight that preschool programs are critical to a child’s early learning and social development,” said Speaker Heastie. “As we continue to support New York’s families, it’s incredible to see the work of programs like Head Start as they provide life-changing services to families across Saratoga County.”

“I want to thank Speaker Heastie for joining me today to tour Head Start and Jefferson Terrace and to see our efforts in providing equitable housing and education to our community,” said Assemblymember Woerner. “A family’s economic situation should not restrict their ability to provide education to their children, and I’m incredibly proud to continue supporting LifeWorks and Capital District Beginnings’ extraordinary work at Head Start.”

Speaker Heastie and Assemblymember Woerner were given a tour of the Head Start classroom by LifeWorks Executive Director Krystle Nowhitney Hernandez, Head Start Director Katie Lee, and Saratoga Springs Housing Authority Executive Director Paul Feldman. They then read stories to the students. After touring Head Start, Speaker Heastie and Assemblymember Woerner met with LifeWorks Community Action, Head Start, Housing Authority staff, along with Saratoga Springs Mayor John Stafford, Public Works Commissioner Jason Golub, and Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran. The discussion focused on the need to extend the preschool program to other families at Jefferson Terrace and across Saratoga County.

The Head Start program is located at the Housing Authority at Jefferson Terrace, which provides housing for the elderly, families, and people with disabilities on fixed incomes through the Saratoga Springs Housing Authority. The program is run by LifeWorks Community Action in partnership with Capital District Beginnings Inc., which provides Special Education and Early Intervention programs. Head Start Jefferson Terrace consistently has a waitlist and needs a new and larger classroom space.

The funding will be distributed in two $1.5 million increments over the next two years for a total of $3 million. This will be used to construct a new, larger building for Head Start so that more children can benefit from the solid educational foundation provided by the program.

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