top of page
Story Time
B for Bee
A for Apple
C for Cat
Who We Are

Who We Are

Welcome to

A Head Start For Children & Families

Growing Futures Early Education Center, a Head Start for children and families, is a non-profit organization, providing quality early learning 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.

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 223 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.

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 3,900 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.

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.

Learn More...

Programs

Services

Home-Based

Early Head Start

Center-Based

Early Head Start

Head Start &

Wrap-Around Care

Comprehensive

Family Services

Events & Sponsorships
Drawing of Fox
Story Time

Calendar

Staff Appreciation Week

May 8th - May 12th

All week long our staff will be showered with treats to show our appreciation for their dedication to our mission.

Book Fair

May 9th

Chipotle Fundraiser

May 13th

Join us at the Overland Park location on 91st Street. Mention Growing Futures and a percentage of your purchase will go to Growing Futures.

Volunteer Painting Week

May 16th - May 18th

Volunteers will be on-site to paint Room 4.

Growing Hearts Healing Guts Event

May 16th at Chicken N Pickle in Overland Park at 7pm

Room 1 Reveal

May 18th at 10am 

Board Meeting

May 25th at Growing Futures

Symphony Visit

May 25th

Our kiddos will enjoy the sounds of the symphony and Fox4 will be onsite to capture this fun program. 

Memorial Day

May 30th

Center is closed in observance. 

Room 3 Reveal

May 30th at 2pm

T for Turtle
T for Turtle
Calendar

Get Involved

Donate

Dollars

 Lil' Sprouts
Tours

Individual Volunteering

Planned

Giving

Group Volunteering

Supply

Wish List

Sponsorship

Opportunities

Corporate

Fundraising

Watercolor Butterfly 8
A for Apple
B for Bee

We greatly appreciate all of our volunteers! Did you know that each hour volunteered counts as $22.70 toward our non-federal goal? A half day group project can raise a significant amount for our organization! 

C for Cat
Get Involved
Day Care

Testimonials

new testimonials.png

"Growing Futures talks the talk when it comes to treating its employees well. I've worked in early education for almost 35 years and I have to say Growing Futures is the best

Head Start ever!"

Joyce K.

Room 3 Teacher

Meet the Team

Leadership

Larry Lewis, Jr.

Executive Director

.

Samantha Mothersbaugh

Program Director

Dave Harrold

Finance Director

Jessica Hoffman

Director of Development &

Community Relations

Suzanne Handlin, PHR

Human Resource Manager

LarryKidPic.jpg
David4years.jpg
IMG_3426.JPG
Sam Baby Photo.jpg
Suzanne.jpg

MISSION

STATEMENT

To nurture children and strengthen families to enrich our community.

Contact

“The first five years have so much to do with

how the next 80 turn out.”  

- Bill Gates Sr. -

Bird%20%20%20%20%20_edited.png
Bee

Contact Us!

Growing Futures Early Education Center

8155 Santa Fe Drive 

Overland Park, KS 66204

913-649-9714

Pencil
Pencil_edited.png
Ask Us Anything!

Thanks for submitting!

Subscribe for Newsletters

Thanks for submitting!

C for Cat