Tester Brings Home Nearly $5 Million for Great Falls Head Start and Early Head Start

Grant will help Opportunities, Inc. obtain and provide childcare and early education opportunities

As part of his continued effort to increase access to childcare and early education for families across Montana, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced a $4,789,918 grant for Opportunities, Inc. Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Great Falls.

“All parents should have peace of mind knowing their kids are taken care of, regardless of their work hours,” said Tester. “Head Start and Early Head Start provide Montana families with the care and resources they need to support their children’s early development without sacrificing job security or breaking the bank.”

The funding comes from the Administration for Children & Families, which oversees Head Start programs across Montana. The grant will help provide better access to crucial resources for early childhood education, and successful nutrition and health for families, including information on pre- and postnatal health. Additionally, Early Head Start provides Pre-K preparation, daily meals, and advanced health screenings to children ages three through kindergarten, and provides classrooms that are open up to 19 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure parents who work at all hours can access quality affordable childcare.

Tester has been an unwavering advocate for education as a former teacher and school board member and as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. In recent government funding negotiations, he secured more than $10 billion for Head Start Programs nationwide, an increase of more than $550 million over the previous year. He also recently announced a grant of nearly $1 million for Kootenai Valley Head Start, $1.5 million for Missoula Head Start, and more than $1 million for Havre’s program.