A'ohe Hana Nui Ka Alu'ia
No Task Is Too Big When Done Together
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Why Head Start?
Who we are.
What we do.
In January of 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared The War on Poverty in his State of the Union speech. Shortly thereafter, Sargent Shriver took the lead in assembling a panel of experts to develop a comprehensive child development program that would help communities meet the needs of disadvantaged preschool children. That program was Head Start.
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Head Start programs promote the school readiness of infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children from low-income families. Services are provided in a variety of settings including centers, family child care, and children’s own home. Head Start programs also engage parents or other key family members in positive relationships, with a focus on family wellbeing. Parents participate in leadership roles, including having a say in program operations. Click Here to learn more about Head Start.
Head Start Association
of Hawaii
Our Mission
The Head Start Association of Hawaii (HSAH) is a group of Head Start leaders from around the state who work to advance Head Start's legacy within Hawaii and the outer Pacific regions. There are currently six Head Start and Early Head Start grantees within the state and another four that serve territories and one republic in the outer Pacific. Together we serve more than 4,000 children and their families annually. Our collaborative spirit and history of supporting each other has built strong relationships across our agencies and cultures to ensure a strong future for the children and families that we serve.
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Our mission: "We are a unified voice for Head Start across Hawai‘i, advancing high quality, comprehensive services that ensure children (prenatal to age five) and families grow and thrive in an ever-changing world."