Catholic Charities Early Head Start Program serves pregnant women, infants and toddlers in Carroll County

May 17, 2010

Catholic Charities Early Head Start program is opened at four sites in Carroll County. A grant of more than one million dollars from the US Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families will allow the early childhood education program for low-income households to provide services to 72 children (prenatal to age 3) and their mothers. This program expands the existing Catholic Charities Head Start program that provides services to 119 preschool-age children.       

Services will be provided for 52 children in three classrooms at Catholic Charities Head Start Center located in the Carroll County Nonprofit Center at 255 Clifton Boulevard, Westminster, Maryland 21157. Through a partnership with existing learning centers and a local church, the program is also available to infants and toddlers at the following sites:

Catholic Charities Head Start
c/o Sunshine Child Development
3004 Manchester Road
Manchester, MD 21102

Catholic Charities Head Start
c/o New Beginnings Christian Learning Center
501 East Baltimore Street
Taneytown, MD 21787

Catholic Charities Head Start
c/o Westminster Church of the Brethren
1 Park Place
Westminster, MD 21157

In partnership with the Carroll County Health Department and the Parents as Teachers program, 20 children began receiving home-based services home -based services in April. Center-based services started April 30 at the Clifton Boulevard site and on May 17 at the Taneytown site. Center-based services will begin at the end of May at the Manchester and Westminster Church of the Brethren sites.

“We are so grateful for the opportunity to expand our services to infants and toddlers in Carroll County,” says Amy N. Collier, Catholic Charities Head Start and Early Head Start Administrator. “The Early Head Start program will provide a valuable service for some of the county’s most vulnerable citizens. We appreciate the support that we have received from our community partners to bring this vital program to the county and we look forward to our continued collaboration to provide the highest-quality services for young children and families.”

Commenting on the expanded services, Commissioner Julie W. Gouge, says, “I have been familiar with the Head Start program for many years now, and am so happy to see the addition of the  Early Head Start program in Carroll County. I believe this is a wonderful program, and gives little children the opportunity to excel before starting school.”

Early Head Start is a comprehensive child and family development program providing early childhood education, health, mental health, nutrition, and parent educations services to low-income pregnant women and children under three years of age. Services are available for children with disabilities. For information about enrollment, donations, and volunteer opportunities, please call 410-871-2450.     

Catholic Charities of Baltimore compassionately cares for more 160,000 people each year. As the leading private provider of human services in Maryland, our 80 programs offer an array of services for children and families, people living in poverty, seniors, and those who have developmental disabilities. Programs are based in Baltimore City and Allegany, Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington counties.

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