CenClear gets $6 million grant for Head Start, Early Head Start programs

A grant through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is helping to boost early childhood programs at CenClear Child Services in Centre and Clearfield counties.

“Without this grant, 877 preschool children in Clearfield and Centre counties would not have the opportunity to embark on the journey of life-long learning successfully,” Executive Director Pauline Raab said in an email.

Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Howard Township, recently announced that the Bigler-based child care provider was given a $6,157,353 federal grant to specifically benefit Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

“These funds will be instrumental in delivering early childhood education programs,” Thompson said in a statement. “CenClear can continue to provide quality, comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition and parent-involvement services for the region.”

CenClear is in the fourth year of a five-year grant cycle, Raab said.

Head Start is a federally and state-funded program that provides families with education, health and social services to further childhood development in children ages 3 to 5.

Early Head Start is also a federally funded, home-based program for families, and pregnant women, infants and toddlers up to age 3. The goal is to promote healthy prenatal outcomes, provide appropriate development of young children, help families to function in a healthy manner, help families find connections to community resources and encourage group participation in activities and community events.

“CenClear works closely with local school districts, which helps prepare our preschool children to make a smooth transition into kindergarten,” Raab said.

CenClear was established in 1980 to provide Head Start classes in Clearfield and Centre counties, she said.

That now includes 49 preschool classrooms, along with 42 classes specifically through the Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

This story was originally published August 24, 2017 at 4:37 PM with the headline "CenClear gets $6 million grant for Head Start, Early Head Start programs."