Congressman Cohen Announces Grants for Head Start, St. Jude

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded grants totaling more than 12.5 million dollars to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and the Shelby County Board of Education's Head Start Program.

"I am pleased with the support for the important medical research and children's programs in Memphis," said Congressman Cohen. "St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital is a leading institution for medical research in the United States and the entire country benefits from their research work. Additionally, the funding provided to the Shelby County's Head Start Program will ensure that children and their families in the Ninth District have access to educational programs and family resources."

HHS grants millions of dollars for medical research each year through its various institutes. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has awarded St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital $721,656 for research regarding the interactions between cell receptors and proteins. In addition, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has awarded St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital $392,656 for research regarding cell adhesion in neuron migration.

The Department of Health and Human Services has granted $11,644,669 to the Shelby County Board of Education for the further development of the Shelby County Head Start Program. The Head Start Program serves more than 20,000 children and their families in Tennessee each year to provide education, social, and health programs, as well as family and community development programs.