Community Action (communityactionatwork.org) has completed its Home for Head Start capital campaign. The $3.55 million project supported needed renovations at Community Action’s Head Start center located at 1821 K St. which transformed the space from one designed for adult learners into one for young children and their families.
Community Action purchased the facility at the corner of 18th and K St. in September 2021. Early lead gifts from supporters such as Acklie Charitable Foundation, Lancaster County ARPA, and Community Health Endowment of Lincoln made renovations possible beginning in spring of 2022. Renovations included 19 classrooms designed to support children age six weeks – five years with features built to suit young children’s needs. Indoor and outdoor play areas were added, along with spaces for parents and community members to gather and access needed resources. Construction will be completed this fall.
The renovated center will be named The Bansal Family Home for Head Start.
“As longtime Lincoln residents, we are humbled and grateful to be able to give back to families in Lincoln through the new Home for Head Start,” said Drs. MK and Prem Bansal. “The Head Start program has been meaningful in our lives — it allowed Prem to pursue her educational dreams as a doctoral student and young mother in the 1960s, and provided early childhood education for our youngest child. As study after study has shown, early childhood education has a tremendous impact on life outcomes. We hope that young parents and children will get significant head starts in their lives through the revitalized center in Lincoln.”
A ribbon-cutting and building dedication will occur on October 2nd. A community celebration of the project’s successful completion is planned for Sunday, October 6th. Details are forthcoming.
To learn more about Community Action Head Start or to support, visit communityactionatwork.org.