At GBCA, we know that children are the future; and we take pride in cultivating excellence within them that they can bring back to their communities. In 1966, GBCA saw the need for early childhood education program in Bergen County to assist low-income individuals and families, and Head Start was born. Head Start was initially introduced as an 8-week long summer program for youngsters in the area and quickly expanded into a school year program. In 2010, Early Head Start evolved out of Head Start’s history of providing services to infants and toddlers in the Bergen County community. The Head Start and Early Head Start programs aim to not only get children ready for kindergarten, but to prepare the entire family for life beyond the program.
In 2013, Head Start and Early Head Start expanded into Paterson, and then to Jersey City in 2014 serving families in the surrounding areas. The extensive services and resources provided by the program help to shape the children for a brighter future. Head Start youngsters are exposed to a bright learning environment, with teachers who schedule educational activities such as reading stories and games that teach them about themselves and the world around them. GBCA’s Head Start programs knows that providing our children nutritional meals, health screenings and an inviting educational classroom creates a foundation that these children can build on when they move on from the program. For more information about GBCA’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs, visit our website at www.gbcaheadstart.org.