The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded more than $12.5 million to help fund the Honolulu Community Action Program’s Head Start initiative, which is Hawaii’s largest early childhood program. The program serves more than 1,600 children each year.

"These funds are critical for hundreds of Hawaii’s most vulnerable young children who deserve a fair shot at succeeding," U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, said in a news release.

HCAP Head Start has 84 classroom and four home-based programs throughout Oahu. HCAP Head Start offers free part-day, part-year and home-based preschool options to help prepare keiki between ages 3 and 5 for kindergarten.

Families must have an annual household income at or below the federal poverty line to qualify. For example, the income cutoff for a family of three in Hawaii would be $22,760.

"An investment in our youngest learners is an investment in our future," U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said in the release. "This Head Start grant will give HCAP vital resources to continue their important work."