Mayor Spearheads Program to Give 68 Head Start Children 68 Backpacks

Come September, the 68 children in Ferndale's Head Start program will have new backpacks filled with school supplies and new clothing through a program spearheaded by Ferndale Mayor Dave Coulter.

Funded through a $1,250 grant from the (FCF), Coulter, working with Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLSHA) as the fiduciary of the program, will purchase these backpacks in hopes that "churches, community organizations or any other group" will sponsor the four classrooms, adopting a child and filling each backpack with wish-list items.

The backpacks will be filled with:

• Children’s toothpaste
• Children’s toothbrush
• Reading book (for ages 3-4)
• Coloring book
• Crayons (large size)
• Three-pack of underwear
• Two-piece sweatsuit or a sweatshirt  and sweatpants

Coulter said he is aiming for classroom sponsorship in order to cut down on working with 68 individual sponsors. He hopes to have the classrooms sponsored by four to eight groups by mid-August.

He said those looking to participate in the program may sponsor full classrooms (about 16 to 18 students) or half classrooms (about eight to nine students).

Initially, he said he'd only look for group sponsorship. Past mid-August, he said he'll open it up to individuals.

Coulter said this program personally connects a participant with a student. "It's one thing to write a check, but it's altogether a different thing to feel connected and to know that child and their needs."

For seven years, Coulter has participated in a similar program through his church in Warren. FCF President Dan Martin said the strength in what Coulter proposed was the success of that program.

"The strengths are that this program is modeled after an existing program of success," Martin said. "It replicates success, with a meaningful use of funds that pulls in community participation."

Martin presented grants totaling $7,000 Monday, including the grant to Head Start. Six other groups also received grants: FernCare, the Ferndale Environmental Sustainability Commission, the Fine Arts Boosters, Ferndale Recreation, Ferndale Youth Assistance and the Michigan AIDS Coalition. (Look for more information on the other grants in upcoming issues of Ferndale Patch.)

Coulter said this program is not affiliated the city and is not paid with by taxpayer money. "It's just Dave," he said, smiling.

"I think it's important for the mayor to demonstrate community work and charity," he said.

Head Start is administered by OLSHA and is operated by the Ferndale Public School District out of the Grant Early Childhood Center.

To become a sponsor, contact Coulter at 248-543-8984.