Funding Announcement for Head Start Program

You want me to talk in the microphone? Can you guys hear me better now?

Hi, I'm Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., your HHS secretary.

I'm here in Alice, Texas. You know, Head Start for me is very personal.

My uncle, Sarge Shriver, started it in 1964.

It came out of an idea that was discussed with his wife, my aunt,

Eunice Shriver, with

Jack Kennedy, and it's been one of the most successful

social programs of all the

programs in the war on poverty.

Kitty cat.

One of the things I've focused on

is making sure that these kids get great nutrition, and

last year we put $65 million into

nutrition, of supplemental money into nutrition.

We've completely protected the budget.

I was told at the beginning of my term to cut the HHS budget by

12%, but the two programs that I protected were Indian Health

Service and Head Start because they're so important and so critical and so

successful.

This whole effort is part of making Head Start better and brighter.

As the secretary said, we're making $89 million available

for health and nutrition upgrades at Head Start programs all across the country.

That is the single largest investment in health and nutrition at Head

Starts in American history. That's part of a broader announcement.

We're making $225 million available.

We're reinvesting money into the Head Start program so that

facilities are top-notch, that, uh, outdoor play spaces are

conducive to physical activity. Taken together, all of these things

are going to

make Head Start better and brighter for future generations.

This particular facility will get $348,000,

again, for nutrition upgrades. I'm really grateful for you hosting

me here today, Ann.

We're very humbled to have you here, Secretary, and, uh,

on behalf of our board, on behalf of every parent that

has a child in our centers across South Texas, thank you so

much for protecting Head Start, but thank you also for

recognizing the importance that nutrition plays in the roles of the

development of our young children.

That's the way that we're gonna make America healthy again.

Bye bye, everybody.

Bye.

Produced by the US Department of Health and Human Services.