NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Sens. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and Congressmen Donald Payne (D-NJ-10) and Rush Holt (D-NJ-12) today announced the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has awarded more than $14 million to five New Jersey early childhood education programs.  Four of the grants will help expand community-based Head Start and services for the disabled and one will help a neighborhood maternal and child health program.

    “We want New Jersey’s children to develop the skills they need to excel,” Sen. Lautenberg said. “These programs can help accomplish that mission and I will keep fighting to ensure future generations have access to these critical funds.”

    Sen. Menendez said: “Every child deserves the advantage of a quality education. The Head Start program has meant so much for economically-disadvantaged families – it helps ensure that their children receive an education that can level the playing field and lead to a better future. These funds will benefit a substantial number of New Jersey children, including disabled children.”

    “Head Start funding fills a critical need in providing early education opportunities to children in our New Jersey communities,” Tenth District Congressman Donald Payne said. “As a former teacher and a senior member of the House Education and Labor Committee, I have pushed to provide full funding for this highly successful program to help pre-school children and their families.”

    “I am pleased this funding will be available to New Jersey children.  Research has confirmed that what children learn and experience during their earliest years of life greatly affects their brain, having an impact on social and academic development,” Rep. Rush Holt, who is a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, which reauthorized Head Start this Congress, said. “We worked hard to write this law that improves teacher and classroom quality, expands access for more children, improves comprehensive services for children in Head Start, and ensures that taxpayer dollars only fund Head Start centers that are well-run and of high quality.”

    The five grants awards are as follows:

• $4,961,729 for Atlantic Human Resources in Atlantic City to fund Head Start programs and services for the disabled.

• $2,908,805 for the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services in Trenton to fund maternal and child health services.

• $2,862,063 for the Newark Pre-School Council, Inc. in Newark to fund Head Start programs and services for disabled children.

• $2,212,971 for the Northwest New Jersey Community Action Program, Inc. in Phillipsburg to fund Head Start programs and services for disabled children.

• $1,387,434 for the Leaguers Early Childhood Development Center in Newark to fund Head Start programs and services for disabled children.

    Since its inception, Head Start has prepared more than 20 million of America’s most vulnerable children for success in kindergarten and later life by making educational and health services available to low-income preschoolers and families. 

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