Hillsborough Head Start Community Foundation
P.O. Box 10126
Tampa, FL 33679-0126
813-283-1181
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Programs
Lawyers for Literacy
Attorneys from the Hillsborough County Bar Association purchase age appropriate books and read to the children in the centers.

Backpacks for Transition
The foundation donates to all the children that are transitioning into kindergarten a backpack filled with school supplies

The Men's Project
The foundation funds a program for the fathers of the Head Start children to educate them on a variety of topics.

Adopt a Center
At the holidays the foundation will adopt a center or two to make sure the children are provided with toys.

Scholarship Program
Every year the foundation will provide scholarships to Head Start parents enabling them to further their education.  This inturn betters their family situation by allowing better paying jobs and opportunities for the family as a whole.


 

About the Hillsborough Head Start/Early Head Start Program

Head Start began as an eight-week federal summer program to help low income youngsters catch up with higher income peers. That first summer of 1965, Head Start enrolled more than 500,000 children nationwide.

The Tampa Opportunity Council (Community Action Agency) served as the local Grantee for the summer Head Start program in 1965. Beginning in 1966 the Hospital and Welfare Board was funded for full day full year centers and the School District, a part day, school year program.  In the 1980’s Hillsborough County assumed operation of the full day option as the Grantee Agency. Financial support from the Board of County Commissioners of matching ad valorem funds kept pace with federal monetary increases.

 In 1996, Hillsborough Head Start was awarded an Early Head Start grant to serve families of children, prenatal through age three. In collaboration with NOVA Southeastern University, Healthy Start, USF Medical School, and several other agencies services for  families expanded.

Since 2000, Hillsborough County Head Start/Early Head Start has been designated as a National Head Start Association Program of Excellence.

 Hillsborough County is currently the 2nd largest Head Start Grantee in the State of Florida serving 3,241 children and families under the leadership of the Policy Council and the Board of County Commissioners.  The grantee contracts with two Delegates, Hillsborough County School District and NOVA Southeastern.