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About Growing Futures Early Education Center, Inc.

Location:

8155 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, KS 66204, US

Mission Statement

To nurture children and strengthen families to enrich our community.

Description

Growing Futures Early Education Center, a Head Start for children and families, is a non-profit organization providing quality early education and family support services for children in Johnson County, Kansas. Our programs are for children 0-5 and their families. Enrolled families have access to comprehensive services including health and nutrition services, onsite play therapy, parent education, mental health, medical and dental health, family support and engagement opportunities. Our education program focuses on developing a child’s academic readiness, along with an emphasis on social and emotional development.

​Growing Futures opened its doors in 1965 as a Head Start summer enrichment program for 17 preschool-aged children, making us one of the original Head Start programs. Today, we serve 222 low-income children and their families and we regularly maintain a wait list of more than 100 children.

Although our program has grown since 1965 to meet the increasing needs of Johnson County families, our funding has not kept pace with the demand for services. More than 32,500 Johnson County residents live below the federal poverty level ($23,030 for a family of three) with 3,119 of those being children under 5. Thousands more earn just enough to avoid the technical definition. During the past decade, Johnson County's population grew by 20%, while the number of people living in poverty increased by 134%. Now, more than ever, our services are desperately needed.