Child and Family Development Community Impact 2023
Supporting Families and Childhood Development
Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency’s Child and Family Development
Our Child and Development Department is guided by a commitment to early childhood development, our agency supports families and children across various programs designed to foster developmental growth and school readiness. These programs include:
Great Start Readiness Program
Early Head Start and Head Start
Early Head Start: provides comprehensive support, starting prenatally, for infants and toddlers through home or center-based services.
Head Start and GSRP: Offers preschool services, focusing on kindergarten readiness, for children ages 3-4.
A strong family foundation is the cornerstone of children’s school readiness. By providing a stable and supportive base, families play a pivotal role in fostering the essential skills and environment necessary for their children’s successful transition into school and lifelong learning. During program year 2022-2023, our program provided referrals and connections to the following resources:
School Success Partnership Programs
Addresses academic challenges in students from kindergarten to grade 5, emphasizing success and strengthening the home-to school connection.
17 Students were given school supplies
28 Students were provided food support
33 Families had barriers addressed
Client’s Story
Meet Ember’s Family
Ember S., a dedicated mom from Boyne City, shared her transformative NMCAA programming journey, starting with Early Head Start in 2019 and transitioning to a Head Start classroom last year. Her child has flourished with language and communication development, growing “leaps and bounds” during this time.
The Head Start staff not only welcomed Ember’s family into the classroom but embraced a holistic approach, offering support beyond the child’s educational journey. The heart of the program shines through the collaboration between Ember’s Head Start teacher, Nick Follette, and Family Engagement Specialist (FES), Rachelle Warner. Together, they supported Ember in purchasing a vehicle, a pivotal moment she reflects on, saying, “I don’t know what I would have done on my own.” This same supportive spirit extended to helping Ember’s family find a stable home. Before this, the family was moving around often, and Ember is quoted saying that Head Start “added stability where I couldn’t,” underscoring the comprehensive support the program provides.
Ember passionately encourages others to “lean on your Head Start,” highlighting the program’s commitment to the entire family. She emphasizes that if you need help, asking is perfectly okay. These gains, both in child development and family stability, highlight the unique and impactful approach of Head Start, showcasing the positive difference it makes in the lives of families like Ember’s.
