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Outline of Need:
The Head Start school bus, operated on the Skokomish Indian Reservation for over eight years, did not meet the safety features required by the Head Start Act. The bus was also a costly expense for the Tribe due to frequent mechanical breakdowns.
How Rural Development Helped:
Funding from USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities Program, along with a 25% match from the Tribe, was utilized to purchase a new school bus. The bus provides the required safety restraints for young children. Service is now reliable and more affordable.
The Results:
The new bus provides service for the children on the reservation as well as Skokomish Tribal members that live in the communities of Union, Hoodsport, and Shelton. During the summer months the bus will be used for youth programs that fill an important community need. Nearly all the children and their parents rely on this transportation to arrive at school in a consistent and timely manner. Providing reliable bus service allows the children and their parents the needed incentive to make school an easier choice. The Head Start program is vital for the social development of the Skokomish children and a critical stepping-stone for success in the public schools. The Skokomish Indian Tribe has expressed appreciation to the area Rural Development representative, Debbie Harper for her assistance in obtaining the necessary funds and stated, “Our children’s safety has been well served by the investment of Rural Development in this community.”
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