FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 12, 2023 

Silver Spring, MD — Easterseals DC MD VA Head Start welcomes children of all abilities to its permanent center on Allentown Road in Camp Springs, Maryland. Located at 6400-B Allentown Road, the center recently opened its doors in December 2022.

“This Head Start center on Allentown Road extends the reach of our services to children in the southernmost part of Prince George’s County,” says Jevonna Willis, Director of Head Start at Easterseals DC MD VA. “With this permanent location in place, resident families will have access to Easterseals’ high-quality early education and care for years to come.”

The second Easterseals Head Start location, the center on Allentown Road is fully licensed to provide early education at no cost to 82 children from low-income families. Of the children currently enrolled, a significant number are homeless, have a documented disability, or are dual-language learners. More than 80% live in single-parent homes. 

Financial insecurity is one of the greatest threats to school readiness in the region. The Allentown Road center serves families mostly in the Prince George’s County neighborhoods of Oxon Hill, Ft. Washington, Temple Hills, Clinton, and Brandywine. Up to 19% of preschoolers from these neighborhoods are living in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau 2021 Poverty Status report. In Prince George’s County, only 28% of children are ready for kindergarten, according to the Maryland Department of Education 2021-2022 Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Report.

To reduce financial barriers to quality early education, Easterseals Head Start offers preschool programming at no cost to qualifying low-income families in Southern Prince George’s County, Maryland and the District of Columbia, Ward 5. Children prepare for kindergarten with an engaging curriculum from qualified teachers. Screening for developmental delays and early intervention are also available at Easterseals. 

Playground benches and teacher work stations were purchased for the center thanks to a $30,000 Local Impact Grant from the Prince George’s County Local Development Council. Easterseals DC MD VA is one of 39 nonprofits to win a grant from the Council in 2022. 

Families with children of all abilities, ages 0-5 years, are welcome to apply online for Easterseals Head Start. Families must provide proof of income, residency, and child’s age. Easterseals is also hiring teachers. Learn more about our organization as a great place to work and apply at Careers at Easterseals.

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Easterseals DC MD VA – Easterseals is leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access through direct and life-changing disability and community services. Since 1945, Easterseals DC MD VA has worked tirelessly to enhance quality of life and expand access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities. And we won’t rest until each one of us is valued, respected, and accepted. Join us: www.eseal.org.

Contact: Lauren Poon, Manager of Communications & Marketing, lpoon@eseal.org