More young children can get a free "Head Start" on their education. Kings Community Action Organization continued its anti-poverty effort with the Monday opening of its 13th local location to offer services of the Head Start program.

The free program is targeted toward children ages 3 to 5 years, with an emphasis on social skills, motor skills, an introduction to the alphabet and lessons in counting and colors.

But this time there is a new twist.

The new location at 1075 Blake St. in Lemoore, which is aptly named "Generations," will have a mixed use facility. In addition to the space and equipment that Generations has for about 80 youngsters, Kings County's commission on aging will head an adult day care facility -- with both being held under one blue roof.

Monday's opening serviced only the children, though. The county's commission on aging is still tying up loose ends on the adult day care, says Scott Harvey, community service specialist for the commission. The adult day care will be the second location to be offered by the commission locally. The existing adult day care location in Hanford services about 25 adults, mostly disabled adults or senior citizens, Harvey says. The day care at Generations will have space for eight to 11 adults, Harvey says. The adult day care will have a cost associated with its services, Harvey says.

Planned inter-generational interaction will take place at least weekly, says Site Director Lori Guzman.

Guzman said Monday's opening for the Head Start program went "very well." Eleven children, ages 3 and 4, attended the first morning session that began at 8 a.m. Monday. The enrolled children received both breakfast and lunch before the morning session let out at 11:30 a.m. There will also be an afternoon session from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., that will offer lunch and a snack to the enrolled children, Guzman says.

All of the meals served to the children are prepared on-site, in the facility's kitchen.

In addition to meals, inter-generational interaction and some early education, the children enrolled in Head Start at Generations will develop social skills, says Jeff Garner, community outreach and marketing specialist for KCAO.

And developed social skills are exactly what Blanca Contreras is hoping for. Her daughter, Maria, is an only child.

"Knowing that she's here playing with other kids and having a good time makes my day," Contreras said.

To start, Generations is able to provide Head Start to about 36 children, though KCAO is hoping to get licensure to provide the program to 80 youngsters. Parents interested in having their children participate in Head Start at Generations are asked to contact KCAO at 582-4386, as there is still space available.

Generations is the first inter-generational care facility in the Valley, Garner says, and it will add to the 720 children that Kings Community Action Organization already serves annually.

Also, once Generations is under way, KCAO is hoping to offer more of its anti-poverty services in the Blake Street facility, including KCAO's emergency food program and utility assistance, Garner says.

"Our goal is to make it a one-stop shop," Garner said.

The recent budget impasse left KCAO concerned about funding Head Start, since a majority of the organization's $18 million goes to the childhood education program. But that concern has been resolved now that the budget has been passed, and KCAO expects to see funds within the next couple of weeks, Garner says.

The reporter can be reached at 582-0471, ext. 3047.

(Aug. 28, 2007)