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Congressman Cohen Announces Head Start Grant to Porter-Leath

April 13, 2020

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that Porter-Leath's Early Head Start programs will receive a grant of $1,185,657 from the Administration for Children and Families' Office of Head Start.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

"I'm pleased that Porter-Leath will be receiving this funding to help ensure young children in our community are ready for kindergarten. Early Head Start provides essential preparation for Shelby County children who need early help to prepare both academically and socially for a competitive world. This significant funding is an investment in our community."

Porter-Leath has served the Memphis community for over 160 years, offering resources to at-risk children and their families. Partnering with the Tennessee Department of Children Services, Porter-Leath offers residential, foster care, and adoption services alongside numerous other forms of assistance for families. The Early Head Start and Head Start programs are initiatives designed to promote developmental skills in children from birth to five years old, with home-based and center-based services catering to over 5,000 children and families in Shelby County each year.

The Administration of Children and Families partners with local providers to address and respond to the needs of vulnerable families. The Office of Head Start allocates grant funding to 1,700 nonprofit and for-profit agencies that offer Head Start services. Both organizations emphasize inclusive and holistic early development programs in order to better communities across the United States.