St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Dallas, and Lehman–Idetown United Methodist Church, Lehman recently presented Luzerne County Head Start staff with a gift collection to be distributed to Head Start children and their families.  Each spring, members of both congregations purchase gifts for approximately 36 children and their families at the Back Mountain Head Start center, located within St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.  The gifts include items families might need like clothing, shoes or household items.  Staff from Luzerne County Head Start is invited to attend a breakfast at St. Paul’s.  During this breakfast, they are presented with the gift collection to distribute to children and their families.

Ryan Riley, executive director of The Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission, joined by Troy Standish, senior vice president of loan serving operations at Navient, Wilkes-Barre visited children at Luzerne County Head Start’s (LCHS) Beekman Street, Wilkes-Barre center.  Standish was recently appointed by Governor Tom Wolf to serve as a commissioner on the PA Early Learning Investment Commission.  The statewide commission is made up of a network of 58 business leaders who work to improve early childhood education outcomes in communities across Pennsylvania.  LCHS is an income-based early childhood education program that provides comprehensive services to pregnant women, children age birth to five, and their families in Luzerne and Wyoming Counties.