Chisme: Upbring to Swallow Head Start in Corpus Christi

By Julie Garcia and Beatz Alvarado

Story highlights:

• Nueces County Community Action Agency loses grant from the Office of Head Start.
• Upbring, an Austin-based nonprofit that also operates a network of shelters for migrant children, will take over services in Nueces County.
• Current Head Start employees are not guaranteed a job with Upbring; new families who enroll will be placed on a wait list.

UPDATE: Sept. 24, 2024

After surprising parents and employees earlier this month with a significant change, the future of Head Start services remains opaque in Nueces County.

Upbring, an Austin-based nonprofit organization, will take over Head Start services in 2025. But several questions remain for parents and current employees, including how many of them will be employed by Upbring.

The Nueces County Community Action Agency notified parents of the loss of a five-year grant for its Birth-to-Five Head Start Program, according to a statement to parents dated Sept. 12. The agency will continue to operate through December 2024 after receiving a four-month interim grant, according to the statement.

NCCAA’s federally-funded  Birth-to-Five Head Start Program offers free comprehensive childcare services for families who qualify. For county residents who qualify, the Head Start program has physical and mental health, as well as nutrition and safety components that help children prepare to enter kindergarten at age 5.

According to a news release, Upbring’s expansion into Nueces County was made possible by a new grant awarded by the federal Office of Head Start; it will allow the nonprofit to serve up to 785 additional children in South Texas.

Upbring will host a parent town hall meeting on Oct. 7, Valerie Villarreal, director of public relations and communications for Upbring, told Chisme Collective via email. At the meeting, the nonprofit will share updates and answer any questions. A meeting location was not provided in her email.

“Upbring’s transition into Nueces County Head Start services is expected to impact a significant number of families, as we will be serving up to 785 additional children in the area,” Villarreal said. “We are also working closely with the current provider (NCCAA) to obtain contact information and will begin providing updates through the ‘Remind’ email and texting program.”

According to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, a total of 925 children are currently enrolled in the NCCAA Birth-to-Head Start Program.

It is unclear whether Upbring’s grant for 785 additional children will include the children currently enrolled. New families interested in enrolling in the Nueces Head Start program will be placed on a waiting list, Villarreal said.

Upbring was formerly known as Lutheran Social Services. It is the nonprofit which runs Bokenkamp Children’s Shelter on South Alameda Street in Corpus Christi. 

In 2018, Bokenkamp made news because of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy that separated migrant families who attempted to cross into the U.S. through unofficial channels.

More than 5,000 families who crossed the border were separated, and some of those children were sent to Bokenkamp in Corpus Christi while their parents were forced into detention centers.

In December 2023, a federal judge in San Diego approved a settlement between the federal government and the ACLU which prohibits separating migrant families at the border. At that time, the ACLU reported more than 1,000 children remained separated from their parents, “scattered across the U.S., living with extended relatives, family friends, or under state supervision.”

There are at least 15 Head Start sites in the Corpus Christi area. An unofficial employee headcount is about 300 employees.

In its news release, Upbring states it plans to “bring 225 new Head Start Warriors” to Nueces County. No current employee has a guaranteed job with the nonprofit, at this time.

Villarreal did not answer whether current employees will be employed by Upbring next year. Upbring “won’t have a final staffing number until (it) fully (assesses) the facilities and operational requirements,” she said.

“We remain flexible and will adapt based on the needs of the community,” Villarreal said.

On Sept. 27, Head Start staff will hear an Upbring presentation during an employee in-service day. The aim is to share more details of the transition and answer questions about employment opportunities and Upbring in general.

It is possible some Head Start locations could shut down. Villarreal explained the condition of each facility will be assessed and “necessary licensing requirements” must be met before Upbring can begin serving children at a location.

“While there may be challenges during this process, we are fully committed to ensuring every location meets the highest standards of safety and care,” she said. “Our focus is on creating a nurturing, high-quality learning environment for the children and families of Nueces County.”

Currently, Upbring serves fewer than 1,500 children in Texas via 26 Head Start programs. In 2015, Upbring was awarded the Head Start contracts for Wharton and Matagorda counties, which includes four locations with 259 children serviced, the release stated.

This story is an example of chisme in action. Chisme Collective was the first to report this as breaking news and will continue to follow up. Consider becoming a Chismosx Por Vida for only $5 a month, so we can continue in our mission of paying attention.