 Head
Start
09 07 06 C-T
 CAPTION:
Dirt work has started on the future site of the new Head Start building at the east end of Jackson Street and adjacent to the Housing Authority. The project, estimated to cost $603,000 is being largely funded through a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
C-T Photo/Laura Schuler
08 15 06 C-T
C-T Photo/Laura Schuler
 CAPTION:
A ground breaking ceremony was held this (Tuesday) morning at 418 Mack Street - the future site of the new Chillicothe Head Start building slated to be constructed. The project, estimated to cost $603,000 is being largely funded through a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The grant was awarded in 2002 to the Chillicothe Housing Authority which leases its facilities to Head Start. Additional funds for the project have been pledged from the Mervyn Jenkins Foundation for $100,000, from Citizens Bank & Trust for $10,000, from Chillicothe Development Corporation for $10,000 and from Chillicothe State Bank for $5,000. Those gathered for the ceremony included: Emily Seifers, of Sen. James Talent's office; Jennifer Rolf, of Sen. Christopher Bond's office; Kristy Abernathy, of Ellison Auxier Architects, of St. Joseph, Mo.; Wanda Peetom, of the Chillicothe Housing Authority; Jody Case, of Case Contracting; Gary Greener, a representative of the Mervyn Jenkins Foundation; the Livingston County Commission, teachers and representatives from Head Start and North Central Missouri College, Bill Donoho, who donated two acres of land for the project; and F.R. Bailey, Deanna Kepner, Theresa Figg and Hilary Rasmussen, housing authority board members.
New Facility Planned for Head Start
By CATHERINE STORTZ RIPLEY/C-T News Editor,
Friday, July 28, 2006
An effort is being made to raise enough funds to build a new facility and expand the local Head Start program to a full day program that operates year-round.
The project, estimated to cost $603,000 is being largely funded through a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The grant was awarded in 2002 to the Chillicothe Housing Authority which leases its facilities to Head Start.
Since the time the grant was awarded, four acres of land has been purchased (at the east end of Jackson Street and adjacent to the Housing Authority), an architect hired and contractor selected. Also, additional funding sources have been sought to fund the balance of the project.
Most of the money already has been either raised or pledged, according to Ken Lauhoff, president of the Livingston County Educational and Housing Council, a local organization working on the project.
The next few days are critical to the project, Lauhoff said, noting that the deadline for the contractor to honor the current bids is Monday, July 31, and that paperwork to apply for a loan on the $168,000 balance must be completed by today (Friday).
The organization has applied for a $150,000 grant through UPS and has been told that the application has a good chance of being approved if the organization could be granted its 501c3 status through the Internal Revenue Service by Tuesday, Aug. 1. Although it usually takes around 120 days to process applications and this particular application was not made until the end of June, the certification of status from the IRS arrived yesterday (Thursday). Lauhoff noted the efforts of Sen. Jim Talent and Congressman Sam Graves who worked to expedite the application process. If the UPS grant comes through, the remaining balance would be $18,000.
Although the organization has a good chance of getting the grant, Lauhoff said that the group is still applying for a loan just in case the grant doesn't come through. |
