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Congresswoman Debbie Dingell today released the following statement celebrating the 50th anniversary of the launch of Head Start, which provides comprehensive preschool programs to millions of children and families in the United States. It is the first in a series of critical anniversaries being celebrated this year for programs that have made our communities stronger.

“Nothing has a better return than our investments in the early emotional, intellectual and physical development of our young people. For the last 50 years, Head Start has helped prepare children to succeed in school and in life. The programs have ensured young people have access to good nutrition, early reading and other support critical for early childhood development. These investments lead to stronger families and better communities, and that is why we must continue to invest in programs that afford every child an equal chance at success. Our children are 25 percent of our population, but 100 percent of our future.”

In 2014, Head Start served more than 32,700 children and families in Michigan. Head Start promotes school readiness of young children from low-income families through partnerships in their local community. In addition, Head Start programs provide children and their families health, nutrition, social, and other services vital to early childhood development. Head Start services are responsive to each child and family's ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage.

Congresswoman Dingell is honoring the 50th anniversary of Head Start as a part of House Democrats’ “Building on Our Legacy, Embracing the Future” initiative, which highlights a number of major legislative achievements of 1965 and the ongoing fight to protect them. Fifty years after the enactment of groundbreaking legislation on these priorities, House Democrats continue to understand the importance of voting rights for all Americans, making college and early childhood education more accessible and affordable, defending Medicare and Medicaid, and protecting our environment.