Hahira – The Valdosta Chamber hosted a ribbon cutting for Coastal Plain Area – Hahira Head Start at 809 Tillman Street.

Head Start is renowned for serving economically disadvantaged families and Hahira Head Start offers its invaluable services to families in Lowndes County and surrounding areas. The program focuses on promoting school readiness for children aged 3 to 5 years by enhancing their social and emotional development. The center's primary objective is to provide comprehensive early childhood education, health and nutrition services, parent involvement opportunities, and unwavering support for Head Start families to work towards self-sufficiency.

With its 3-star rating from Quality Rated Child Care, Hahira Head Start is committed to excellence in every aspect of its operations. The center's dedication to nurturing children's growth and development has earned them recognition and admiration in the community.

What sets Hahira Head Start apart from other businesses offering similar services is its dedication to providing wrap-around services to meet the diverse needs of Head Start families, staff, and the general public. Coastal Plain Area EOA, of which Hahira Head Start is a part, offers an array of services such as rental assistance, utility bill support, minor car repair assistance, prescription drug and eyeglass assistance, minor home repair services, and food vouchers, among others. Additionally, the center's 2 Gen grant program empowers parents to pursue further education and learn trades such as CNA, CDA, Retail, and Serve Safe training.

Over the years, Hahira Head Start's major accomplishments have been centered around positively impacting countless families in the community. The center takes pride in its 3-star rating with Quality Rated and has recently introduced a unique initiative, the parent store, to encourage family engagement. Parents can earn "parent bucks" through various activities such as volunteering, reading books, attending center activities and parent meetings, or having lunch with their child. These parent bucks can then be used to purchase items from the parent store. The aim is to foster a sense of community and involvement among parents while meeting their household needs.

Lashae Jones, the Center Director, expressed her gratitude for the support and resources provided by the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber.

"We are thrilled to celebrate our new location with a ribbon-cutting ceremony," said Lashae Jones, Center Director of Hahira Head Start. "This event will not only help us spread the word about the comprehensive services we offer but also create awareness about our commitment to changing lives one family at a time. We invite the entire community to join us in this joyous celebration."

For more information, contact Lashae Jones at (229) 794-3310 or by email at ljones@cpheadstart.org.