Mission Neighborhood Centers, Inc.

Child Development

MNC has been a delegate agency for the San Francisco Head Start Program since 1969. Our Mission Head Start Program provides a comprehensive Child Development and parent involvement program, which includes a bilingual curriculum for three to five year old children from low-income families. Currently, 360 children and their families participate in our Head Start program. Children are provided with an array of services including, if needed, speech and language therapy, and classroom observations by culturally competent mental health specialists who assist teaching staff to implement appropriate developmental practices in the classroom.

Through their participation in Head Start, children learn the following:

• Increased communication skills in their own language and in English
• Intellectual and conceptual skills
• Motor ability and the use of large and small muscles
• Healthy nutrition habits
• Positive self image
• Problem solving and social skills

MNC has four Head Start locations providing half-day care, plus five locations providing full-day care for working families or parents who are in school or job training programs. We have the experience to blend private, public and state funding to provide seamless and coordinated social services to families in need of assistance as they transition to self sufficiency.

During our 2008 fiscal year, 75% of our referred families received services in the areas of parent support, education, Kindergarten transition assistance, ESL, job training, housing, legal assistance, mental health, and food assistance.

Out of 360 enrolled children, 15% had no health insurance by the end of the school year 100% of the children had health insurance.