ACAP program
to celebrate the Week of the Young Child
PRESQUE ISLE — Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP) Family Services will celebrate the Week of the Young Child from April 7-11. This weeklong celebration will highlight the importance of developmentally appropriate learning opportunities and health services for children ages 0-5 and their families.
The Week of the Young Child is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world’s largest early childhood education association, with nearly 80,000 members and a network of over 300 local, state and regional affiliates. The purpose of the Week of the Young Child is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. ACAP’s Child and Family Center on Park Street in Presque Isle recently received accreditation from NAEYC for the second time, making it the only accredited center north of Bangor.
ACAP Family Services’ Child and Family Centers in Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton will welcome special community guests each day during the week, and will welcome families and community members to visit the centers to share in their children’s learning experiences. In addition, ACAP Family Services will provide exhibits featuring children’s artwork, along with information about ACAP’s quality early childhood education and health programs at sites including Cary Medical Center’s various locations and the St. Apollonia Dental Clinic in Presque Isle.
ACAP Family Services provides child care, Early Head Start and Head Start services to over 300 children and their families in Aroostook County. In addition to center-based child care, Early Head Start and Head Start, ACAP Family Services offers home-based Early Head Start in collaboration with the Aroostook Council for Healthy Families. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, Oral Health programs and Child Care Food Program (CCFP) are also part of ACAP Family Services.
WIC provides screenings and nutrition education along with vouchers to buy healthy foods for pregnant and postpartum mothers and children age 0-5. The Kids Integrated Dental Services (KIDS) program provides dental screenings and referrals to dental homes for families without them. The School Oral Health program sends ACAP Family Services’ dental educator to Head Start, preschool and higher grade classrooms to educate children about the importance of oral health. The Dental Sealant Program places preventive sealant on the six-year-old molars of children in elementary schools across Aroostook County. The Child Care Food Program (CCFP) provides subsidies for care providers to furnish healthy meals and snacks along with training for providers.
To join the Week of the Young Child celebration at one of ACAP’s Child and Family centers, call the nearest center for specific days and times of opportunities to participate. In Caribou, call 496-7681; in Presque Isle, call 764-0733 or in Houlton, call 532-0907. For more information on ACAP Family Services programs and how to enroll, call ACAP at 1-800-432-7881 or visit ACAP’s web site http://www.acap-me.org.
