CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS — With the new school year just around the corner, the Nueces County Community Action Agency Birth to Five Head Start Program is looking to recruit students.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of its community events were cancelled, and the agency needs help getting the word out that they are now open and accepting applications.
“By now, we normally have over hundreds of applications on our waiting list, but due to the COVID-19, we are not able to have parents come in so they are thinking we are closed, which we are taking appointments though, and we are still open,” said Nueces County Community Action Agency Yvette Jordan-Fillmore.
Most of the families enrolled in the Nueces County Community Action Agency (NCCAA) Birth to Five Head Start Program are at or below the federal poverty guidelines.
“They can't afford childcare; this is actually a federally-funded program so our services are free of charge. So we just make sure that you qualify within income guidelines. We do take 10 percent over the income so it does not disqualify you from the program. However, we do service those children that qualify within the income guideline first, ” said Jordan-Fillmore.
The Head Start program promotes school readiness for preschool children.
“Our goal is to actually get the children school-ready. So by the time they leave our Head Start program, they are focused, ready to go to kindergarten, able to function in a classroom without having to worry about focusing on behavior. They already have socialization down so they can go straight into kindergarten and able to sit at a desk and focus,” said Jordan-Fillmore.
The agency, that has been educating young students for more than 50 years, now has 21 sites housing 68 classrooms in Nueces County, Robstown, Banquete, and Agua Dulce.
For more information call 361-880-4141 or visitwww.nccaatx.org