Portsmouth center seeks funding to add Head Start program

PORTSMOUTH — The space toward the back of the Wesley Community Service Center in Portsmouth is outdated — it still uses oil heat.

The executive director, Renyatta Banks, plans to turn it into a new facility to house a Head Start program ready to accept students in the fall. Banks said this new program hopefully will fill a gap in the services available at the center at 1701 Elm Ave.

The space remains cluttered with what Banks described as “stuff ” from before she took over, but once plans are approved and structural work is completed, two new classrooms will be ready to house the program. Already, Banks said grants have covered roughly $700,000 to help install an HVAC system and make other necessary structural changes. Another $100,000 is needed, though, and the Wesley Center has plans for fundraisers.

Head Start is a federal program aimed at promoting school readiness for children before kindergarten, focusing on early learning, health and overall well-being. The focus is on social skills, educational foundations and more to get young children ready to succeed in school. The new classrooms would be expected to have 18 students each.

“The awesome part is when the children are learning, the parents will be here at the Wesley,” Banks said. “Probably doing GED skills or just getting trainings for different things. We try to empower the whole family.”

The center is working with the Hampton Roads Community Action Program (HRCAP) to get the program going. Shikee Franklin, the Head Start/Early Head Start director, described it as a “high-quality pre-school program” offered at no cost to families. The program also connects parents to community colleges and trade schools, and promotes life skills like financial literacy and stress management.

“The Head Start program helps them with whatever goals they have for themselves,” Franklin said.

The center is hosting a fundraiser Saturday at Grove Church. The W.E. Worship Concert will feature artists such as the Boys Choir of Hampton Roads, award-winning gospel singer Jekalyn Carr, Patrick Riddick of Netflix’s “Voices of Fire” and others. Proceeds go toward renovating the facility; tickets can be bought at https:// tinyurl.com/knt5tdst. A bigger fundraiser is planned for September.

Along with services such as a community closet and food pantry, the center hosts GED prep program and a free virtual tutoring program which started during the pandemic, making it a hub of educational community resources.

Overall, Banks estimates that the center serves about 500 people each month with its various services.

“We’re fighting for the family to come back together,” Franklin said. “We’re fighting for a clean, safe community for the people in Portsmouth that we serve.”