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John, the U.S. is in a childcare crisis.


Low pay and high demand are causing a shortage of childcare and preschool workers, reducing availability for families. Currently, there are 40,000 fewer people working in childcare than in early 2020. It’s even worse for rural families.


Head Start is much more than an early school readiness program—it's a vital support network for children and families across the U.S., providing essential childcare, nutritious meals and healthcare. But the future of this critical program is uncertain, putting at risk the children who depend on Head Start for early childhood education and their development.

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Yesterday morning, the TODAY Show featured Jennifer Garner, Save the Children Trustee and Ambassador, visiting lawmakers on Capitol Hill and one of our Head Start classes in North Carolina. Click here to watch Garner talk about the importance of protecting Head Start.


Garner truly says it best in this TODAY Show segment with NBC News correspondent Jacob Soboroff, that Head Start teachers are “brain architects, training these [kids’] brains to become learners.”


And it feels especially fitting to recognize our Head Start staff this week as it also happens to be Teacher Appreciation Week.



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What is Head Start?
Head Start and Early Head Start help kids under 5 living in poverty. The program provides a vital boost to their social and emotional development and helps children get ready to succeed in school. Head Start also provides key social services to support families with young children.

What are the benefits of Head Start?
Research shows that children who receive early education are more likely to graduate and less likely to have run-ins with the law later in life. They earn more, too. About $150,000 more by age 40.

What’s the connection between Save the Children and Head Start?
Many communities have a hard time meeting Head Start standards and keeping qualified teachers. This is especially true in rural areas where there aren't many (or any) other options for kids and their families.


That's where we come in. Save the Children runs Head Start programs in rural areas where childcare is hard to come by, including:
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Finding the best staff we can
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Providing extensive training
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Fixing up classrooms and playgrounds
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Equipping teachers with proven educational materials
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Working with families at home, supporting pregnant moms and new parentsHead Start gives children a chance to thrive in school and beyond. We must continue to invest in this and other early childhood programs.


Thank you for taking the time to learn about this important work,

Betsy Zorio

Vice President, U.S. Programs

Save the Children


P.S. Interested in learning more about this vital program for hundreds of thousands of kids in the U.S.?
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Read all about Save the Children Head Start programs here.










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Photo: Victoria Zegles / Save the Children