ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today joined the Community Action Council (CAC) to announce a historic $12.6 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Head Start program. As part of this award, CAC has been designated as an Early Head Start provider for the first time in Howard County history. Photos from the event can be found on the County's Flickr page.
At a time when many childhood programs are facing uncertainty across the country, this grant brings hope and opportunity to our most vulnerable residents. This grant is a vital investment in the future of our children and our community. We are grateful to the Community Action Council of Howard County who work tirelessly to empower low-income families and to open doors of opportunity that too often remain closed. Together, we are working to ensure that every child, regardless of zip code or background, has the chance to learn, grow, and thrive.
The grant enables CAC to expand their services to include Early Head Start, marking the first time in Howard County history that CAC has earned the Early Head Start designation. CAC will now be able to provide early childhood education services to eligible children under the age of three under a certified Early Head Start program.
Head Start is a federally funded program in the Office of the Administration for Children and Families, under the Department of Health and Human Services. The programs support children's growth from birth to age five through services centered around early learning and development, health, and family well-being.
Head Start services are available at no cost to children ages five and younger for income-eligible families. Head Start preschool services work with children between the ages of three and five and their families. Early Head Start services work with families that have children from the birth to two years old, and many also serve expectant families. Programs deliver child development services in center-based, home-based, or family childcare settings. Head Start programs operate in every state, many tribal nations, and several U.S. territories. All Head Start programs continually work toward our mission for eligible children and families to receive high-quality services in safe and healthy settings that prepare children for school and life.
This award is history-making. For the first time ever in Howard County, CAC will provide Early Head Start, reaching children and families starting at six weeks of age—when support is needed most. This is more than a grant. This is about what Head Start represents—opportunity, the power of early learning, and the promise of a better future. Because of this investment, families in Howard County will have greater access to the educational foundation their children need to thrive. This new investment enables CAC to expand services to infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds through year-round, full-day Early Head Start classrooms located at the Bauder Education Center and the Children’s Learning Center to start at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.
“Access to early education is critical to providing our children with a strong foundation for lifelong success,” said U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, D-MD. “That’s why I’ve fought to defend federal Head Start funding, and why I’ve supported investments in the Community Action Council of Howard County and the important work they do. Today’s launch of Howard County’s first Early Head Start program, and the expansion of their Head Start programming – supported by over $12 million in federal funding – is a big win for the community and demonstrates exactly why these federal dollars are so vital. This expansion will help more Maryland children grow, thrive, and reach their full potential.”
CAC currently provides year-round Head Start and pre-K programming to income-eligible families who reside in Howard County. Their goal is for children from low-income families to walk into their classrooms on the first day of kindergarten as well-positioned to succeed as classmates who grew up in wealthier households. Last year, CAC served 269 children and their families through their Head Start programs. Since 2013, CAC has served approximately 4,100 children through early childhood education programs, including approximately 3,500 through Head Start alone.
“Starting today, families can begin applying for Early Head Start,” said Erin Adelsberger, CAC Director of Education. “These classrooms will offer a nurturing, stable environment for our youngest learners—helping them build social-emotional skills that form the foundation for future success. This expansion is grounded in our whole-family approach. Enrollment in our program opens the door to food assistance, housing support, energy services, and so much more. We’re proud to stand with families as they build a brighter future.”
In 2024, Howard Community College (HCC), in partnership with the Ball Administration and the CAC, reopened the Children’s Learning Center (CLC) on HCC’s campus after being shuttered in 2020 when the pandemic forced the childcare center to close after 20 years of service. Howard County Executive Ball committed $750,000 in 2024 to support the reopening of the CLC and the expansion of early childhood education for infants, toddlers, and two-year olds. Ultimately, the CLC will serve approximately 80 children from ages six weeks to five-years-old, year-round, full day. This is the first and only Head Start program co-located on a community college campus in the state of Maryland, reflecting the strong partnership, innovative approach, and shared commitment between the County, CAC, and HCC.
“I am the mother of two wonderful children—both enrolled in CAC programs,” said Titolola Tanimowo, CAC Client and Board Member. “My youngest daughter is one of the first two-year-olds in CAC’s Early Head Start classrooms. She’s thriving—and so am I. Being a student parent isn’t easy. But because of this program, I can show my children that anything is possible. I can live my motto—and help them live it too: ‘There is no end to learning.’”