News release from CANI:
CANI Head Start, Early Head Start: Now enrolling for fall 2013
(August 9, 2013) – CANI (Community Action of Northeast Indiana) Head Start and Early Head Start have openings available for fall 2013.
CANI Head Start is a free, comprehensive early childhood development program; meeting high standard educational, health, nutritional, and social service needs of low-income children and families. CANI Head Start serves children ages 3 to 5, and their families in Allen, Noble, and Whitley counties.
The program will serve 715 children this year and there are approximately 350 slots available to new children. To qualify, families must be at or below 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. However, 10 percent of the total enrollment may be considered over-income with those slots usually being held by children with a diagnosed special need.
CANI Head Start helps families by providing children with quality preschool education and screening for vision, dental, hearing and cognitive abilities. When a delay is confirmed, they are referred and receive services from other agencies. Parents are strongly encouraged to participate in the program, thus gaining knowledge of good early childhood education practices. CANI Family Advocates work with the families based on their individual needs including: housing, education, childcare assistance, mental health concerns, help with budgeting, and a variety of other issues.
Families can enroll at the following CANI Head Start sites:
- East Wayne: 825 Francis St. in Fort Wayne, (260) 422-6503;
- Hanna Creighton: 2107 S. Hanna St. in Fort Wayne, (260) 456-1576;
- Salvation Army: 2901 N. Clinton St. in Fort Wayne, (260) 373-1760;
- St. Henry’s, 3029 E. Paulding Road in Fort Wayne, (260) 969-0212;
- Temple Achduth Vesholom, 5200 Old Mill Road in Fort Wayne, (260) 745-5001
- First Presbyterian Church: 201 S. State St. in Kendallville, (260) 349-9092;
- Ligonier United Methodist Church, 466 Townline Road in Ligonier, (260) 894-7431;
- Columbia City: 1340 S. Governors Drive in Columbia City, (260) 244-2737
An application can be found online at mybrightpoint.org. For more information about Head Start, contact the CANI Head Start Administration Office, (260) 420-2833 or (800) 589-3506.
Additionally, CANI is enrolling families for Early Head Start. Early Head Start is a home-based program that works with English, Spanish, and Burmese-speaking pregnant women, parents, and young children. Home visitors come into the home weekly at the family’s convenience and work with parent and child on activities designed to address their child’s individual needs.
The emphasis is on child development, education, family self-sufficiency, and parenting skills. Dads and male role models in the home are also highly encouraged to participate in home visits. For pregnant women, the focus is on maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
Funding currently allows for 72 families total in Noble, Whitley and Allen counties. This figure includes pregnant women and children from infant to age three. An application can be found online at mybrightpoint.org. For more information about Early Head Start, contact the CANI Early Head Start Administration Office, (260) 420-2833, or (800) 589-3506.
CANI helps communities, families, and individuals remove the causes and conditions of poverty. For more information about CANI and the services provided, visit the Web site mybrightpoint.org.
Related Images:
