Head Start Advocates Focus on Families, Always Find A Way

More than 25 years ago, the Head Start program of Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington County (CAPRW), started a partnership with Bridging.

Decades later, a compassionate and talented team of Head Start family advocates and family support specialists remain committed to CAPRW’s mission to eliminate poverty, offer support, and deconstruct the systems that cause and perpetuate economic disparities for people in our community.

Head Start is a federally-funded program serving families with low incomes through two early childhood programs: a center-based program for children ages six weeks to five-years-old and a home-based program called Early Head Start for pregnant moms and children ages birth through three-years-old.

Family Advocate Sadiyo Zia and Family Engagement Coordinators Christine Yang and Rich Boyce are three of 40 Head Start staff members who support hundreds of families with more than a thousand young children enrolled in Head Start’s center-based and home-based programs. Many families have multiple children in the program.

The trio describe how relationship building and diversity strengthen their program and outcomes:

“Our families are very diverse. We have a team that speaks Somali, Hmong, Karen, Spanish, Dari, and Burmese. Our team is representative of the people we work with, which helps us build relationships and do culturally-responsive work that meets the needs of each family,” says Christine.

Many families in the Head Start program are unhoused or have recently experienced homelessness. The team observes that the level of transiency and the agency’s number of Bridging referrals are higher than in the past.

Families navigate a broader system rife with systemic racial inequities, which makes the transition to housing stability more challenging and disproportionately impacts people of color.

“There is limited shelter space with a three to four week wait to get into a family shelter,” says Rich. “There’s a lack of affordable housing, with landlords increasing rents and wages that can’t keep up. We see Section 8 issues with properties that may be affordable, but don’t pass inspection.”

Family advocates offer support and assist families with a range of needs and resources including affordable housing, health insurance, food, energy assistance, mental health resources, and referrals to Bridging.

“We work with each family to determine needs, and they set goals they would like to work on,” says Sadiyo. “Most people are looking for subsidized housing. I’ll help them fill out the application for public housing and locate housing options where they want to live.”

Once a family secures housing, a Head Start family advocate helps schedule their shopping appointment at Bridging. Head Start pays the shopping fee for every family. The team appreciates that Bridging trusts caseworkers who know the families and their needs, specifically who needs a foundational home setup.

When the day of a Bridging appointment arrives, parents and families are excited! Head Start advocates later hear about a welcoming experience filled with dignity.

“People like picking out their own items,” says Christine. They like getting small appliances, holiday items, lamps. It’s not just the furniture, it’s all the little things. A parent will say, ‘I now have a clock, a light, my kid’s blanket. This bedding matches my daughter’s style.’”

Over the years, Christine, Rich, and Sadiyo have been part of so many family success stories, and many began with a furnished home.

“To have their own home is a dream, and to have a furnished home completes that dream,” says Rich. “Families have invited us to see their furnished homes.  We have seen firsthand how this boosts a family’s self-esteem and confidence. Not only have they completed a life goal, but they have increased their stability and security overall.”

The close-knit Head Start team brings collaboration, flexibility, and a can-do attitude to their work of supporting families who are transitioning into stable housing and achieving their desired goals.

“Sometimes we work together to find a trailer and gather a group of people to move a family’s furnishings from Bridging to their home. Later on, we may share home ownership resources with a family who is saving for a new home, and a few years later, they reach their goal,” says Sadiyo.

“Our team sees everything to the end goal,” she says. “Nothing is too difficult. We always find a way.”