Benton Franklin Head Start

The Finley Community Church is hosting our Holiday Helping Hands. This is a FREE giveaway for anyone! There will be food, household items, clothes, and toys that families can choose from! There are Christmas gifts, diapers, and baby food, but that is first come, first served, so plan to get there early. The address is 32708 S. Finley rd, corner of Finley and Gamefarm Rd.

It’s that time of year again! If you would like to volunteer to help distribute food, presents, and more essentials we would love to have you!

If you are in need, come to the Finley Community Center!

Please share!

Nutrition plays a vital role in your baby's oral health when pregnant. Follow the tips below to help protect your baby's smile!

Yogurt is a good source of dairy. When buying yogurt, look for a low-fat yogurt with only a small amount of sugar or no added sugar.

Dec. 1, 2023

Benton Franklin Head Start:
Sunset Ridge Duration/Full Day on a 2 hour delay. Early Head Start Home visits in Pasco only before 10:00am in Pasco will be canceled and rescheduled.

Good oral health is essential for expecting mothers and infants. It is recommended to take babies to the dentist when they turn one year old. Below are some oral health tips for mothers and babies.

Staying hydrated in the winter months is important to stay healthy. Click the link below for ways to stay hydrated and how to add flavor to your water!
https://aglab.ars.usda.gov/the-nutrition-corner/how-do-you-hydrate-try-these-fun-fruity-ice-cubes

Children participate in monthly cooking activities in their classroom. This week, they made banana split parfaits with bananas, yogurt, and fruit. See the recipe below if you would like to make this at home with your child!

Banana Split Parfaits
Ingredients:
Banana
Pineapple
Strawberries
Raspberries
Mandarin Oranges
Yogurt
Granola or Graham Crackers

Instructions:
1. Mix the following ingredients together in a bowl: pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, and mandarin oranges.
2. Cut the banana in half and place in a bowl.
3. Put yogurt on top of the cut banana. Add fruit mixture on top of the yogurt.
4. Add granola or graham cracker pieces on top of the parfait (optional).
5. Enjoy!

Hey Benton City Families!
We are excited to announce that we still have a few spots at our Benton City site for interested families.
Our Head Start program serves children between 3 (by August 31st) and 5 years old. The Head Start Duration program runs for 6.5 hours daily, from Monday to Thursday, and 4 hours on Friday.
For more information about our Benton City Duration program, please don't hesitate to call us at (509) 735-1062 or (509) 792-1162. You can also fill out an online Benton Franklin Head Start Interest Letter form, and a Program Assistant will contact you to schedule an application appointment. https://forms.gle/eq6GGs3tqrAZhhWf7

Eating an adequate amount of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, and dairy is important for a balanced diet.

Hand washing is an important way to prevent the spread of germs and can help prevent children from getting sick.

It's time to start collecting items for our annual Benton City Holiday Blessing Boxes. Last year, we were able to help around 120 Benton City citizens with food, clothing & gifts for the holiday season.

PLEASE HELP US COLLECT THE ITEMS WE NEED TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE! We are in need of: Gloves, Scarves, Socks, Toys for all ages (0-18), New Clothing, Arts & Crafts, Activities, Games, Cash & Gift Cards!

To make a donation: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=4U9YNWDHEEBDJ

Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/68RPZ9EWFF17?ref_=wl_share

To request a Holiday Blessing Box: https://www.bentoncitychamber.org/winterfest or grab a printed form in our office or outdoor kiosk.

*PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL OUR OFFICE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR IF YOU NEED TO SCHEDULE A DROP OFF TIME OUTSIDE OF OUR REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS. (509) 588-4984 OR [email protected].

Attention Benton City families! Benton Franklin Head Start is currently accepting enrollments for our free preschool program.

Benton Franklin Head Start offers the following services:

We support learning through play, creative expression, and guided activities. We build strong relationships as the foundation
of early learning.

We promote language and literacy development, early math and science concepts, and positive attitudes toward learning.

Health and Wellness
We promote physical development both indoors and outdoors. We serve breakfast and lunch, as well as healthy snacks.

We provide medical, dental, hearing, vision, and behavioral screening.

Social Services
We help families find assistance in challenging times.

We help families identify and reach goals around employment, training, and parenting.

Disability Services
We build on children's strengths and individualize experiences to meet their needs.

We collaborate with community agencies when further assessment is needed.

For more information, please fill out the Benton Franklin Head Start Interest Letter at https://forms.gle/eq6GGs3tqrAZhhWf7 or call our offices at (509) 735-1062 or (509) 792-1162 to schedule an application appointment.

Nearly 60% of home fire deaths occur in homes without a working smoke alarm. Check your smoke alarms when you change the clock!

October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month. Follow this tip to help prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Make sure your infant has a safe place to sleep to help prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

NOW ENROLLING for Early Head Start, Head Start, and ECEAP programs for the 2023-2024 program year. All services are at no cost to eligible families. Please fill out our interest letter, and one of our Program Assistants will contact you to schedule an application appointment. For more information, contact us at (509) 735-1062 or (509) 792-1162. https://forms.gle/eq6GGs3tqrAZhhWf7

Help children practice healthy habits to prevent germs from spreading.

Flu symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, feeling tired and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea (more common in children than adults). The best way to protect against the flu is to get a flu vaccine yearly.
https://youtu.be/voPptR_Wnss?si=eBSbZ3ALHi8mk-FV

Benton City families! Are you currently receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program? If so, your child may be eligible for free Head Start services!
It's easy to prove eligibility with any of the following:
-A copy of your notice of SNAP approval
-Other documentation of eligibility or benefits from the SNAP agency, such as a screenshot from a SNAP mobile app
-Your household's SNAP card (Electronic Benefits Transfer [EBT] card)
Call now to schedule an application appointment at (509) 735-1062 or (509) 792-1162. Or fill out a Benton Franklin Head Start Interest letter, and one of our Program Assistants will contact you to schedule an appointment. https://forms.gle/eq6GGs3tqrAZhhWf7

Did you know that placing babies on their back to sleep reduces the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths. Learn more about safe infant sleep during SIDS Awareness Month at https://go.nih.gov/O2OrIr7.