Greater Mt. Vernon Community Head Start at Gum Springs Community Center welcomed U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for a visit on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

Secretary Kennedy spent about an hour at the center, meeting staff, touring classrooms and learning more about how Head Start's nutrition programs play a critical role in early childhood development. March is National Nutrition Month. 

“I had a very inspiring tour,” Kennedy said in a video posted to YouTube. “I saw a devoted staff and a lot of happy children. They are getting the kind of education and socialization they need, and they are also getting a couple of meals a day.”

Kennedy said he was impressed with the center's community garden, and he was pleased to see children learning important nutrition lessons. 

“One of the most inspiring things I saw was a teacher teaching the kids what foods are good,” he said. “That is the kind of knowledge the kids are going to bring home to their family.”

Head Start is a federal program that promotes the school readiness of children ages 3 to 5 in families with low income. Head Start helps prepare children for success in school through education, disability services, wellness and family services. NCS operates Head Start locations at Gum Springs, in Bailey's Crossroads, and at several FCPS schools. Visit NCS' Head Start page to learn more. 

(Photo courtesy of HHS)