Advocacy

Advocacy refers to various ways to influence key individuals or groups to benefit a cause or organization. The groups may be public or private, national or local, and they may vary, depending upon the issue at hand.

Why advocate for Head Start?

Head Start engages in advocacy efforts to assure the continued success of the Head Start program. Because Head Start is funded primarily by public sources, securing adequate funding for our academic, social, health and family services is one of our primary advocacy objectives.

We do this by making sure human services decision-makers know about the wide range of services Head Start provides...about the individual successes it experiences...about the research that proves its effectiveness ...and about the savings it ultimately delivers to society.

That means establishing and maintaining positive, ongoing contact with the legislative and executive branches of government, at the federal and state levels. And, it means keeping abreast of issues, trends and legislation which have the potential to affect Head Start, and letting legislators know and understand our point of view about such issues.

How can I help?

Individuals involved in the Head Start program, and others with a special interest in the program are in a perfect position to be heard by policy makers. Their attitudes, as well as their personal experiences and successes with the program reinforce the impact that Head Start has on the lives of the families in their jurisdiction.

Click here to write a letter to your congressman.