U.S. House of Representative seal U.S. Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz
Representing the 13th Congressional District of Pennsylvania
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 3, 2009                                                              

CONTACT:  Tali Israeli 202-225-6111

 

Schwartz Applauds $1.9 Million to

Expand Early Head Start Programs

 

 
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz announced today that the Maternity Care Coalition received a $1.9 million grant to provide expanded Early Head Start services in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The funds were awarded to 19 providers in the Commonwealth by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The congresswoman encouraged HHS to provide this important grant to the MCC earlier this year.

 

The Maternity Care Coalition (MCC) has been serving families in the Early Head Start (EHS) program for more than 10 years and currently provides EHS services to 145 families in Southeastern Pennsylvania. With this grant, MCC will be able to provide services to an additional 168 families.

 

“The Maternity Care Coalition provides important services to pregnant women, assisting them in accessing prenatal and postpartum care, and supporting parent’s efforts to fulfill their parental role,” Schwartz said. “These funds will increase support for families and improve the health and development of children.”  

 

“MCC is proud to have received the largest Early Head Start grant in the State of Pennsylvania that will extend services to 168 families in the region and create 24 new jobs and we are very appreciative of Rep. Schwartz’s support of MCC and our application for this important grant,” Joanne Fischer, Executive Director of MCC said.

 

MCC will also provide school readiness by enhancing the social, cognitive and emotional development of children ages zero to three through provisions of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and their families.

 

In 1995, the Early Head Start program was established to serve pregnant women and children from birth to three years old in recognition that the earliest years are critical to children’s physical, social and emotional development. Early Head Start programs build on the federal Head Start program that began in 1965 to promote school readiness and provide related services to preschoolers and their families.  

 

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