Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) announced today that the Lakewood Economic Action Program (LEAP) will receive an $18,057 federal Head Start Emergency Supplemental grant funded by the CARES Act to help pay for COVID-related efforts for families that participate in the Head Start program.

The federal Head Start program—which funds comprehensive development programs and services for preschool children of low-income families—has helped more than 37 million children  facing the prospects of a life in poverty by providing preschool health, nutritional, emotional and other social needs since 1965, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“Here in Lakewood, LEAP performs a vital function to the community, and this modest grant will help the staff expand its outreach and assist more families juggling distance learning,” Smith said. “Specifically, LEAP will use the federal dollars to upgrade technology to improve remote learning and develop a text messaging system to help parents work with their children on assignments.”

Channell Wilkins, Chief Executive Officer, Ocean Community Economic Action Now (LEAP) headquartered in Toms River, said LEAP’s Early Head Start will be using the grant to provide Lakewood families with “at home” kits to support families. LEAP at home kits will have tools for fine motor skills as well as supportive materials for socialization activities. Some additional technology for staff to be better prepared for remote services will also be purchased. 

PHOTO: From left are Head Start Board Member Sam Rabinowitz, OCEAN Inc. President Channell Wilkins and Rep. Smith at LEAP’s Lakewood site. (2018 file photo)

To ensure that its Early Head Start team is supporting families during the pandemic, LEAP plans to use the funding to provide all staff with four sessions of the Home Visitor Rating Scale Training.

“During this professional development opportunity, the team will learn the importance of Developmental Parenting, which will focus on aspects of parenting that will support children's development in their daily lives,” Wilkins said. “This is important because one of the impacts of COVID-19 is the additional stress experienced by our families.”

Money for the grant program was provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020—the bipartisan, comprehensive, recovery bill Smith supported to help states, hospitals, first responders, workers, businesses and communities severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.  

###