Move over Wal-mart! The one-stop shopping concept is taking off in Newton, MS, through a partnership between Friends of Children of Mississippi (FCM) Inc. and the Mississippi Regional V Housing Authority. Open house was held Tuesday, Dec. 10 for Newton Early Head Start, a comprehensive childhood development pro-family concept for 24 fortunate children in the Newton area.

"Friends of Children of Mississippi is impacting the Newton community with our Five Building Blocks of Sustainable Economic Development concept," noted Marvin Hogan, executive director of FCM. "We provide education, health/human services, fiscal, social/civic, workforce/business development, and future expansion to include micro-enterprise services and development and civic leadership infrastructure."

Friends of Children of Mississippi has been a mainstay in Newton County for over 20 years when it opened Crossroads Head Start. Currently, 65 employees service 172 children in the county. The economic impact of Friends of Children in Newton County was $7,733,236 in 2001 utilizing the Five Building Blocks of Sustainable Economic Development concept.

"We just want to say how glad we are that Friends of Children is here," Newton mayor, Hamp Beatty said in his remarks at Tuesday's open house. "This is a big asset to Newton, and we look forward to working with you."

Crossroads Head Start is awaiting a $1,100,000 new facility. "We plan to stay here," Hogan said. "We're going to change the perception of programs for children. We serve 90 percent of children from families with low incomes. However, 10 percent of participants can be from families with incomes of any amount. It doesn't matter what your income may be. We're not just for poor children, this is not a black children's program. We're for all children!"

Hogan also made it clear to those attending the open house ceremony that, "This is not a daycare. Friends of Children of Mississippi is here to develop and enhance the infants and toddlers' physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. This isn't a conference room we're in. This is an indoor track for our children." Motioning to the back of the room, Hogan said, "Those tricycles are for the children to ride around the track. Oh, we're real innovative around here!"

Parents are singing praises for Friends of Children of Mississippi's innovative teaching techniques.
"When I first found out my child was accepted into the Early Head Start program, my first thought was, 'yes, freedom!'" recalled Shaleta Wash of Hickory, MS. "Then I thought J'Mareya wouldn't go because she had always been a clinging child. But to my surprise, she did. She can't wait to get here in the morning. She's always been a bright child, but now through Early Head Start, she's even brighter. She can't wait to come home to tell everyone her shapes and colors."

Mrs. Wash says she's learned things, too. "Children are what you expect of them. And the development starts early on. I am now more involved with my children's education than I have ever been. And I owe that to the Early Head Start staff and dedicated parents for showing me new things to enjoy with my children. I am grateful for the caregivers making my child's transition from home to school a great success," Wash said.

Newton Early Head Start center manager, Tonya Johnson thanked Micheal Robertson, director of Mississippi Region V Housing Authority, for his effort in getting the housing board's approval to acquire and renovate three homes for the center. "Mr. Robertson involvement was essential in making this center possible, also Eric Willis, Dr. Cathy Gaston, and Marvin Hogan. This is a beautiful facility and I truly appreciate the opportunity to work with these wonderful children."

"I believe the best asset in the nation is the next generation," Robertson said. "The byproduct (of having this center) is economic development. It will produce jobs and an operating budget that's ongoing to generate opportunities for our community. We want to encourage Friends of Children of Mississippi to offer jobs to our residents if they're qualified. I have a background in education, and I can see the need for a facility like this. The most critical time of development for a child is zero to three," concluded Robertson.

Friends of Children of Mississippi will hold open house for its Taylorsville Early Head Start center Thursday, Dec. 12. The Taylorsville center will also service 24 families emphasizing the development and enhancement of parents as primary caregivers to their children.
For further information about Head Start, please call 601-353-3264.

1. Guests of Friends of Children of Mississippi enjoy the comforts of the Parents Visiting Room at newly opened Newton Early Head Start. Furniture for the room was donated by Lazy Boy, which has a manufacturing plant in Newton, MS.
2. Marvin Hogan, executive director of Friends of Children of Mississippi, gets a laugh from guests attending the open house for the Newton center Tuesday, Dec. 10. "Newton saw what we were doing in Laurel and got a little jealous," he joked. (Photos: Alice Thomas-Tisdale)
3. Ribbon cutting ceremony makes it official! Newton Early Head Start is off and running. On hand to celebrate the milestone for the small East Mississippi community were: Eric Willis, Mississippi Regional Housing Authority; Micheal Robertson, Mississippi Regional Housing Authority; Tonya Johnson, center manager, Newton Early Head Start; Marvin Hogan, executive director, Friends of Children of Mississippi; and Honorable Hamp Beatty, mayor, Newton, MS.
4. Babies galore! Early development care is available to all infants and toddlers in the Newton area, regardless of sex, race, religion, or income.
5. Shaleta Wash of Hickory, MS, reads from her daughter, J'Mareya's favorite storybook at Newton Early Head Start center. Wash attended the open house of the center on Tuesday.
6. Dr. Cathy Gaston, Early Childhood, Development and Health Services Director, Friends of Children of Mississippi, chats with Micheal Robertson of the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority in the newly constructed resource center, adjacent to the Newton Early Head Start. In addition to educational materials and a mini computer lab for community residents, the resource center houses a police substation and Medicaid waiver office.
7. Raining outside? No problem for Brandon, Shaeresa and J'Mareya. They take full advantage of the indoor track designed to help build motor skills, although they think they're just having rounds of fun!
8. Newton Early Head Start opened in August, but official ribbon cutting ceremonies were held Tuesday, Dec. 10.
9. The Newton Early Head Start building was made possible by renovating three existing homes in the Newton community. (File photos)
10 . The Newton Early Head Start building was made possible by renovating three existing homes in the Newton community. (File photos)