HOPE – Three area public support forums have been announced for the Lewisville-based grantee currently operating the Head Start program for Hempstead County.

Shiree Daniels, education advisor for Families and Children Together, Inc., (FACT) announced the dates for forums in Lewisville, Hope and Prescott.

FACT currently provides Head Start services in the Hope Public School District in facilities on the Yerger Middle School campus in Hope.

The Lewisville session is set for May 23 at the Lewisville Elementary School gymnasium, 208 W. Seventh St., in Lewisville, at 5:30 p.m. The Hope session will follow on May 24 at 2 p.m. in the Fulton Suite at Hempstead Hall on the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana campus.

The final session will be conducted in Prescott at McRae Middle School, 1030 East Fifth St., at 5:30 p.m. on May 31.

“If the time or date for any one of the meetings is inconvenient, you may attend either of the other two meetings,” Daniels said.

FACT, Inc., is seeking an Early Head Start funding grant to serve Hempstead, Lafayette and Nevada counties.

“FACT is preparing to apply for Early Head Start funding to provide comprehensive services to families of infants and toddlers in your area,” Daniels said. “Part of the grant process is providing information that the services are needed, and we have community assessment data to support that, and that the services are supported in the funded area.”

Eact meeting will detail services to be provided and how they will impact children and families in preparing children for school readiness in the counties served, Daniels said.

“This will be a high-quality program with high standards that will help to address the issue of low income children not having access to high-quality care in the infant and toddler years,” she said.

Daniels said attendees will be surveyed concerning support for the services.

“We need key stakeholders in the Hope community to attend the meeting and provide support for our grant writing process,” she said.

Additional information is available through FACT at 870-921-5447.