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Miami Valley Child Development marks 60 years with Head Start
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – The 60th anniversary celebration for both the Miami Valley Child Development Centers (MVCDC) and the Head Start program will be this Wednesday.
The Head Start program serves nearly 3,000 kids in the Miami Valley who are experiencing poverty. It provides high-quality early learning and child care to children from 6 weeks to age 5. Simultaneously, the program offers critical support to the kids' families to help break the cycle of poverty.
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The event will be held on June 4 at the Marilyn E. Thomas Center, 2900 Shiloh Springs Rd., Trotwood, at 6:00 p.m.
2 NEWS' weekend anchor and multi-media journalist, KaJéza Hawkins, will emcee the celebration. Hawkins is a proud MVCDC graduate.
Dr. Alonzo Patterson, III, a board-certified pediatrician and Dayton Children's Hospital's first Chief Medical Health Equity Officer, will speak at the event. He has practiced medicine for over 30 years and primarily focuses on children who lack access to medical care.
Patterson has cared for generations of families here in Dayton, and many of his patients have been MVCDC/Head Start graduates.
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MVCDC is, spectacularly, the largest provider of Early Head Start and Head Start programs in Ohio. It ensures nearly 500,000 nutritious meals and snacks are given to children each year.
There are many ways to be eligible for the program:
Families earning under 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (Which is $26,650 for a family of three).
Families who receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits are automatically eligible to enroll.
Children in foster or kinship care, or who are experiencing homelessness.
Children with some disabilities.
For more information on the program, call Berta Velilla, MVCDC President and CEO, at 937-825-8439.
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