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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 200 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 $24,860 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.

 

​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
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Story Time

Calendar

Parent Committee/Home Based Play Group

Thursday, November 2nd

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Calendar
Policy Council

Thursday, November 16th

Fall Break

Wednesday, November 22nd - Friday, November 24th

Parent Committee/Home Based Play Group

Thursday, December 7th

Early Release 

Thursday, December 21st

Winter Break 

Friday, December 22nd - Monday, January 1st

Get Involved

Donate

Dollars

 Lil' Sprouts
Tours

Individual Volunteering

Planned

Giving

Group Volunteering

Supply

Wish List

Sponsorship

Opportunities

Corporate

Fundraising

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We greatly appreciate all of our volunteers! Did you know that each hour volunteered counts as $31.80 toward our non-federal goal? A half day group project can raise a significant amount for our organization! 

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Get Involved
Day Care

Testimonials

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"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

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Larry Lewis, Jr.

Executive Director

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Tanesha Thompson

Program Director

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Kathleen Kane

Finance Dire

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Jessica Hoffman

Director of Development &

Community Relations

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Suzanne Handlin, PHR

Human Resource Manager

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. -

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Contact Us!

Growing Futures Early Education Center

8155 Santa Fe Drive 

Overland Park, KS 66204

913-649-9714

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