Maryland Head Start Association

Time to Expand Automatic Head Start Eligibility for More Children Mike Shaver argues in favor providing automatic eligibility for Head Start when kids are involved in child welfare cases

Breaking Barriers (Oral Health, Mental Health and Maternal Health) - MHSA Health and Mental Health Cohort Networking Institute- Registration ends on February 17, 2026 at 3:00 pm

Breaking Barriers: From Hesitation to Action The Health and Mental Health Cohort Networking Institute (formerly MHSA Annual Health Institute) will dive into the barriers that impact comprehensive and timely oral health, mental health, and maternal health services. Barriers to care aren’t always about access—it may include family hesitancy,...

Farm providing produce bundles amid government shutdown Local Homestead Products offering Community Aid Produce Bundles to federal workers, SNAP beneficiaries

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Baltimore County dedicates $4M toward food assistance Baltimore County is dedicating $4 million toward food assistance for federal workers and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients.

The federal government shutdown is already threatening Head Start. By November 1, additional 141 programs across 41 states and Puerto Rico — serving 65,000+ children — will face potential closure.

Head Start is a lifeline for families, providing stability, healthy meals, health checkups, and essential care. Shutdown-related closures would devastate children, families, and communities nationwide.

Join NHSA’s Day of Action today — contact your members of Congress and tell them to .

Tell Congress to !
👉 https://nhsa.org/take-action/ -congress

The 2025 Basic Health and Safety Update Training can be found below!

2025 Basic Health and Safety Update Training The 2024 Basic Health and Safety (BHS) Annual Update Course can be accessed here:

🧠 What if we told you there's an investment with a 13.1% annual ROI that outperforms the S&P 500's 10, 20, and 30-year returns?

According to Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman's research featured in our new NHSA State Policymaker Report, high-quality early childhood programs like Head Start deliver exactly that return, while building stronger communities and reducing taxpayer burden.

The math is clear. Every dollar invested in Head Start generates returns through:
- Higher graduation rates
- Increased adult employment
- Reduced social service utilization
- Greater marital stability
- Stronger taxpaying abilities

📊 Fun fact: The earlier an investment is made, the higher the return. Programs serving children from prenatal to age 3 show the strongest ROI.

Read the full report: https://nhsa.org/resource/head-start-and-state-early-childhood-systems-opportunities-for-policymakers/

Please share with your networks in Waldorf and La Plata

Maintenance continues at our Waldorf Distribution Center. It remains closed until further notice.
Have food and toiletry items to donate? Bring them to our La Plata office Monday-Friday!
We'll share updates on the Distribution Center re-opening as soon as we can. Thanks for your patience and support!

Join us for a 🎉 Pop-Up Head Start Registration Event at our Beans and Bread Resource Center, located at 400 S. Bond St., on Friday, October 17th, from 10 AM to 12 PM! Our amazing staff will be on site to assist families with enrolling children ages 3 to 5 in our Head Start program. This is a great opportunity to get your child registered and ready for a strong start in primary school! 🌟 Stop by, ask questions, and complete your registration all in one visit! ✅