U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
STATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. will bring together families, local service providers, and administrators from across New Mexico for outreach sessions to discuss a two-generation approach to creating economic opportunities and addressing the needs of both vulnerable children and their parents.
In Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Las Cruces, Heinrich will highlight programs taking a two-generation approach to early childhood education, employment and job-training, and health and well-being that put the entire family on a path to permanent economic security. In addition, they will discuss ways that service providers can coordinate to align and link existing systems to overcome fragmented funding streams.
Heinrich is preparing legislation aimed at ending the cycle of poverty in America by addressing the needs of children and their parents.
Monday, Aug. 10 in Las Cruces, Heinrich will host an outreach session with families, education administrators, and representatives of several non-profit service providers at Doña Ana Head Start. Other participating organizations include Doña Ana Community College, AVANCE, Community Action Agency of Southern New Mexico, NGAGE New Mexico, La Clinica de Familia Early Head Start, Casa de Peregrinos, and the Ocotillo Institute for Social Justice.
Tuesday, Aug. 11 in Albuquerque, Heinrich will host an outreach session with students, veterans, and instructors at Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) to discuss the impact of the college’s Connect program, a successful, data-driven initiative designed to focus academic resources and support of students who are most in need. CNM Connect was started in 2006 to provide comprehensive and holistic support to General Educational Development (GED) and English language students. In 2010, CNM chose to institutionalize this work throughout the college by opening up this support to all students across its four campuses.
Wednesday, Aug. 12 in Santa Fe at the Early Learning Center at Agua Fria, Heinrich will host an outreach session with families, community partners, and United Way of Santa Fe staff. He will also tour the Early Learning Center, which will be the new hub of early learning and family support in the Santa Fe community and a model for solving poverty using a two-generation approach.
This state of the art facility will offer year-round, full-day services for children and families including hot meals and a health center; leading-edge technology for teaching and learning; employment and social service assistance for parents; and home visiting program for families. Partners in the project include the United Way, Santa Fe Public Schools, Presbyterian Medical Services, Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe Community Foundation, and the Daniels Fund.
