DAPHNE, Ala.— Baldwin County Commissioner David Bishop at the Daphne Community Action Agency policy meeting Thursday declared October “Head Start Awareness Month.”

Bishop presented a proclamation to Cassandra Boykin, executive director for the local agency, and spoke of its impact on combatting the poverty dilemma in Baldwin County.

Head Start helps the development of newborns to children around 3 years old, and gets them prepared for school, Boykin said.

“The children are basically low-income children,” she said. “But guidelines have recently been changed to include those 10 percent over the poverty level.”

More than 11 percent of Baldwin County residents—18,250 people—live below the poverty line, according to 2005 Poverty and Median Income Estimates from the U.S. Census, the latest data available.

The federal poverty level is determined by how many people are living in and how much income is coming into a single household.

A single person living alone making under $10,400 meets the poverty level designation. The cutoff for a two-person family is $14,000 and is $17,600 for a family of three, according to Head Start Family Guidelines for 2008.

Boykin recently received a $35,000 award from the Baldwin County Commission to go toward Head Start operations.

“The recognition by the county commission is very important to us because it means they’re aware of what we do,” Boykin said. “It offers a level of support for the community.”

“We have eight Head Start centers (that) include three preschools,” Boykin said. “They’re teaching the children cognitive learning skills and there is a direct involvement of parents getting involved with the children. We also provide (aid for) dental needs.

“We have 473 children that are enrolled,” Boykin said. But to determine how many people the program actually impacts, Boykin said to multiply that number by 3.5, the average family size.

Project Head Start—begun by the Office of Economic Opportunity in 1965—was initially a part of the government’s War on Poverty. The program is based on the belief that education is the solution to poverty, according to ilheadstart.org.

Head Start’s goal is to break the ‘cycle of poverty’ by offering preschool children from low-income families a beneficial program that addresses their emotional, social and psychological needs, according to the program’s Web site. Community Action Agencies was created by the federal government in 1964 to reduce or eliminate poverty in designated areas.

 “We appreciate all you do with the county,” Bishop said. “I’m pleased to be here today and to know about all the great work you do in the community.”

“We’re here to work together and do all we can for the community,” Bishop said. “It’s biblical work, isn’t it?”

Head Start is one of several programs Community Action Agency offers. It also helps qualifying individuals pay their energy bills.

Boykin said she’s seen a 60 percent increase this year in the low-income energy support program because of increasing fuel and energy costs.

“It’s because things are just tight and people are trying to make ends meet,” she said.

The agency also offers job training and career development, food drives and medical assistance.

“It just depends on the need of the person and the availability of funds,” she said.

Head start locations in our area

are as follows:

•Crossroads Head Start

9411 Highway 225

Bay Minette, AL 36507

(251) 580-4780

•Ellisville Head Start

14090 County Road 66

Loxley, AL 36551

(251) 964-5165

•Magnolia Springs Head Start

13204 County Road 26

Foley, AL 36535

(251) 965-7937