The Private Industry Council to Expand Head Start Services in Fayette County

The Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc. (PIC) has been awarded American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding in the amount of $322,575 to increase the number of pre-school age children served by its Head Start program in Fayette County. Obtained through a competitive RFP process, this funding will enable PIC to fill an identified need in the community.

PIC has been the grant administrator of the Head Start Program of Fayette County since 1994.

Contracted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Fayette County Head Start program provides a coordinated delivery of services to 3 to 5 year old low-income children and their families. With 10 locations strategically located throughout Fayette County, the Head Start program promotes school readiness by enhancing physical and emotional development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, and social services to enrolled children and families. The PIC currently receives federal funding to provide Head Start services to 534 pre-school age children and their families. This represents only 30% of the population of children under 5 in Fayette County who meet the eligibility guidelines for Head Start services. The expansion funding will enable PIC to serve an additional 36 children and families in the county.

According to Tim Yurcisin, president of PIC, "We are proud of the success of our Head Start program and look forward to expanding our services to accommodate additional children and families. We want to express our gratitude to Congressman Murtha and the Department of Health and Human Services for bringing stimulus dollars into our Fayette County communities".

For more information on the Head Start program in Fayette County, please contact Sandra Hall at (724) 430-4818.

Read related articles on the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and the Herald-Standard.