What We Do
Riverbend Head Start & Family Services is a non-profit agency that provides children living in poverty or challenged with special circumstances with an early childhood education and extend supportive services to their family including expectant mothers through our Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
One of the first things we do when a family enrolls their child is begin to develop a relationship with the family. We work together to earn each other’s trust with an assigned family advocate and health advocate. They work with families by making scheduled home visits and helping parents navigate some of life’s challenges such as:
- nutritional meals
- employment search
- renting or buying a home
- starting a bank account
- securing and transportation to primary care physician or dental care provider
- obtaining mental health services
- prenatal/postpartum support services
- and much more…
We ensure that every enrolled child is provided an opportunity to have a successful future regardless of their current circumstance. Each day children and their parents are provided with the guidance, support and tools to move closer towards personal, educational and financial goals.
In the classroom or during home visits, we teach preschoolers early math, reading and vocabulary so they are on the same level as their peers when they enter kindergarten. We help infants and toddlers master their fine and gross motor skills and learn those valuable socialization skills. Children also participate in our oral health care education and access program, where they receive health and dental screenings and exams from our community partners.
We are a comprehensive program and work with the families on nutrition, unemployment, education challenges and more. Parents in our program are encouraged to volunteer in our classrooms and are taught to become their child’s first teacher. Our mission is to empower children and families to develop the positive skills to meet life’s challenges.
