Growing Futures Early Education Center, a Head Start for children and families, is a non-profit organization, providing quality early education opportunities and family support services for children in Johnson County, Kansas. Our Early Head Start and Head Start programs are for children 0-5 and their families. Enrolled families also have access to a variety of comprehensive support 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.

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

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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, or 5.6% of the population, lives below the federal poverty level with 3,119 of those residents being children, ages 0-5. Thousands more earn just enough to avoid the technical definition of poverty, which is $21,780 for a family of three. 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.

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Though we are partially funded by the federal government, for every $100.00 we receive from the federal government, we are required to raise an additional $25.00. That means to maintain our federal grant, we must come up with a non-federal match of over $415,000, annually, to remain in compliance with our federal funding. We rely heavily on support from our community partners, corporate sponsors, donors, local grants and our volunteers. There are so many ways to get involved with Growing Futures and we hope you will join us in our mission - to nurture children and strengthen families to enrich our community.

Programs

& Services

Home-Based

Early Head Start

Center-Based

Early Head Start

Head Start &

Wrap-Around Care

Comprehensive

Family Services

Get Involved

We greatly appreciate all of our volunteers! Did you know that each hour volunteered counts as $17.60 toward our non-federal goal? A half day group project can raise a significant amount for our organization! 

Testimonials

Leadership

Terrie VanZandt-Travis, MSW

Executive Director

Melisa Smitson, PhD

Program Director

Dave Harrold

Finance Director

Jessica Hoffman

Director of Development &

Community Relations

Suzanne Handlin, PHR

Human Resource Manager