OCTOBER IS
HEAD START AWARENESS
MONTH!!!
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💡Did you know? In 1982, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October as National Head Start Awareness Month to honor the program’s impact.
Every October, we celebrate the children, educators, families, and communities who are part of our Head Start family. Since its founding in 1965, Head Start has provided high-quality education, health care, and family support to more than 40 million children and their families nationwide.
📣This month, we invite you to be a part of #HeadStartAwareness by sharing a story, memory, or experience you’ve had with our program. go.nhsa.org/HSAM
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HEAD START PROGRAMS REMAIN OPEN
As we celebrate the National Head Start Awareness Month, Head Start Programs in Georgia and across the nation remain open for children and families despite the shutdown of the U.S. government.
An extended shutdown however, could mean that approximately 5,537 children and families in Metro Atlanta and 936 outside the metro area could lose Head Start and Early Head Start services.
For more than 60 Years, Head Start has been a beacon of opportunity, helping more than 40 million children and families learn, grow, and thrive. Today, nearly 750,000 children across the nation continue to benefit from the strong foundation Head Start provides for school and life. Click on the HSA weblink below for ideas to help you join in on the celebration. source: Head Start Daily
HSA Month
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Tajuannya McBride, GHSA President
October is a time for celebration and recognition as we observe Happy Head Start Awareness Month! This special month shines a spotlight on the invaluable programs that provide early childhood education, health, and family services to children from low-income families. It's a chance to not only appreciate the dedicated educators and staff who work tirelessly to create nurturing environments for our youngest learners but also to raise awareness about the importance of early childhood development. So, let’s spread the joy and knowledge, and maybe even throw in a few fun facts about how investing in early education can lead to brighter futures—because who doesn’t love a good reason to celebrate?
| | | | Words from the Georgia State Head Start Collaboration Office | | | |
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Allison Setterlind, State Head Start Collaboration Director
Happy Head Start Awareness Month!
I am so honored to have served the Head Start agencies in Region IV for 21 years now, with 9 years in my current role as your State Head Start Collaboration Office (HSCO) Director in Georgia. I am always proud to share the many comprehensive services and community contributions your agencies make every day for the children and families in our program. Your resiliency and commitment to quality are greatly appreciated this time of year, and always!
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Pink Pinwheels Over Georgia
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, also referred to in America as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The campaign also offers information and support... wikipedia.org
- Date: October
- Mission: Provide help and inspire hope to those affected by breast cancer through early detection, education, and support services.
This month Head Start and Early Head Start children across Georgia will be planting and harvesting "pink pinwheels" in honor of breast cancer awareness month. It's happening NOW!! Check out the photos below!
| | Mitchell County CDC- SW Georgia | |  | Worth County Head Start- SW Georgia | | | |
Head Start Children at the Worth County Child Development Center (above) and Mitchell County CDC Head Start\Early Head Start (below) in south west Georgia are busy planting pinwheels commemorating Breast Cancer awareness.
| | | Children at Thomas County Head Start in south west Georgia are busy too planting their pinwheels and observing the fruits of their labor. | A toddler at Lee County Early Head Start in south west Georgia is joining in on the fun planting her pinwheel. | | |
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By The Governor of the State of Georgia
A PROCLAMATION
HEAD START AWARENESS MONTH
Therefore: I, Brian P. Kemp, Governor of the State of Georgia, do hereby proclaim October 2025 as HEAD START AWARENESS MONTH in Georgia.
Georgia.Gov
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2025 Georgia Head Start and Early Head Start Facts
$289,504,098 FY 24 Funding
22,103 Funded Seats
16,893 Head Start Funded Seats
4,990 Early Head Start Funded Seats
220 Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Funded Seats
379 Centers
1,520 Classrooms
6,116 Head Start and Early Head Start Staff
939 Homeless families served
14,817 Parents employed, in school or job training.
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HHS EXPAND MAHA TO HEAD START ADDING $61.9M TO NUTRITION SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), today announced over $61 million in supplemental nutrition funding will go to over 290 Head Start programs around the nation to support nutrition services, promote healthy eating habits, and improve access to nutrient dense foods for more than 100,000 children and families.
“When children have access to fresh, nutritious food, we don’t just feed them for a day — we set them on a path to lifelong health,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “By putting nutrition at the center of health, we are restoring trust in our public health system and delivering on our promise to Make America Healthy Again.”

The supplemental nutrition awards will accelerate Head Start programs’ capacity to improve the health and wellbeing of children and families. In Michigan, one program will receive $2,000 for interactive family education workshops on nutrition. In Puerto Rico, a $3.4 million award will fund kitchen renovations and developing new farm-to-table partnerships. And in Florida, $138,600 will establish a hydroponic garden and raised garden beds to give toddlers meaningful, hands-on agricultural and nutritional learning experiences.
“This investment marks a sea change to prioritize prevention over treatment by nourishing the minds and bodies of young children — tackling chronic disease at its roots and restoring the health of our nation’s most vulnerable,” said ACF Acting Assistant Secretary Andrew Gradison.
READ MORE
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Fulfill the Promise of Head Start!
Urge Congress to support the funding levels for
Fiscal Year 2025 (FY26) proposed in the
Senate bill, which provides a $85M increase in
Head Start and Early Head Start funding.
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Extended Government Shutdown Puts 65,152 Head Start Children and Families at Risk
October 16, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Head Start Association (NHSA) is warning that the ongoing federal government shutdown threatens to disrupt services for tens of thousands of children and families who rely on Head Start, the nation’s early learning and family support program for low-income communities.
Due to the timing of federal grants, six Head Start programs serving 6,525 children are already operating without federal funding, drawing on emergency local resources to stay open. By November 1, 2025, another 134 programs across 41 states and Puerto Rico, serving 58,627 children, will face the same cliff unless Congress and the president act swiftly.
“For six decades, Head Start has helped millions of children and families build a foundation for success,” said Yasmina Vinci, executive director of NHSA. “That mission shouldn’t be collateral damage in Washington’s political stalemate. Every day this shutdown continues, programs are forced to make impossible choices just to keep their doors open. Children cannot wait.” source: NHSA.org
| | Education, Leadership, and Advocacy is Our Mission | | |
Georgia Head Start leaders answered the Call to Washington, D.C. September 15-17, 2025 during the 2025 National Head Start Association Fall Leadership Institute. The Institute gives Head Start representative the opportunity to ensure that Congress understands, values, and empowers the important role Head Start serves for our nation's most vulnerable children and families. It is critical that members of Congress and their staff hear firsthand how important Head Start is to the communities they serve. source- nhsa.org
| | Georgia US Senator Jon Ossoff holds a Fulfill the Promise sign and poses for a photo with Georgia Head Start representatives during a visit to the Nation's Capitol on September 17, 2025 during the NHSA 2025 Fall Leadership Institute. | | | Georgia US Senator Raphael Warnock holds a Fulfill the Promise sign and poses for a photo with Georgia Head Start representatives during a visit to the Nation's Capitol. | | |
Georgia US Representative Sanford Bishop is present for a photo with Georgia Head Start representatives during a visit to the Nation's Capitol on September 17, 2025 during the NHSA 2025 Fall Leadership Institute.
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U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders Makes Plain His Vision for Head Start
On September 16, 2025, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont shares his vision of Head Start with over 600 Head Start Leaders across the country during the 2025 annual NHSA Fall Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C. September 17-20, 2025.
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Words from GHSA Executive Officer
Standing proudly between the iconic images of President Lyndon Johnson and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, I reflect on the monumental strides made in the War on Poverty—an initiative that not only transformed our nation but also profoundly influenced my life and the lives of countless families across America. As we approach the 60th anniversary of Head Start in 2025, I am reminded of how this groundbreaking program, born from that pivotal movement in 1965, sparked my own passion for lifelong learning. While it may not fit every child perfectly, Head Start embodies the spirit of opportunity, offering young minds the chance to leap into a brighter future. The War on Poverty, championed by President Johnson in his heartfelt 1964 State of the Union address, was a bold response to a staggering national poverty rate of nineteen percent, leading to the passage of the Economic Opportunity Act. Today, as we celebrate the legacy of these visionary leaders and the impact of their efforts, we are reminded that the fight against poverty is ongoing, and each child deserves their own head start in life.

Cecil W. Stoughton, Photographer
Juanita Yancey, GHSA Executive Officer
War On Poverty
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October is Farm to School Month
GHSA is a proud and official partner with Georgia Organics and Apple of Our Eye during Farm to School Month in October. To learn more about this delicious event, click on the button below.
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Georgia Head Start Association
Annual Fall Leadership Institute
The Fall Leadership Institute will be held November 19-20, 2025 at the C.W. Pettigrew Conference Center located on the campus of Fort Valley State University at 1005 State University Drive in Fort Valley, GA.
The Conference theme is "Celebrating the Past, Embracing the Future, the Head Start Legacy Continues."
This Conference is an annual professional development, training, and networking event. To learn more about the Conference visit our website at www.georgiaheadstart.org. To register for the Conference, click on the link below.
Register
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2025 SEACAA Annual Conference
October 14-17, 2025
Charlotte Marriott City Center
100 West Trade Street
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, 28202
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The Black Child Development Institute National Conference
October 24-26, 2025
Atlanta, GA
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Region IV Head Start Assocation
Annual Conference & Expo
February 9-12, 2026
Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park
190 Marietta St NW
Atlanta, GA 30303
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GHSA Board of Directors
Thank you for reading this special edition of our "The Voice" newsletter where we bring awareness to Head Start's impact in Georgia and across the Nation. Please join us as we celebrate Head Start in Georgia!
Visit our Website
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