About PICA Head Start · Golden Valley
PICA Head Start, based in Golden Valley, Minnesota, is a federally designated Head Start program serving low-income families, pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in Hennepin County. Founded in 1969 by Head Start parents, it operates 13 centers and supports over 2,500 children and families annually. The organization emphasizes a two-generational approach, offering early childhood education alongside workforce development and parent training to empower families and change economic trajectories.
PICA Head Start provides comprehensive early childhood development services and family support programs to low-income families in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Operating 13 centers, it serves over 2,500 children and families each year. Its mission includes empowering children and families to reach their full potential through education, workforce development for parents, and community partnerships. The program’s philosophy centers on respecting each child’s individuality and cultural heritage, using a child-centered curriculum that builds self-esteem and social skills. Parent involvement remains a cornerstone, with many parents citing personal growth and improved child outcomes. Founded in 1969 by Head Start parents, PICA continues to be driven by community needs and parent engagement.
- In business
- Since 1969
- Owner
- Founded by Head Start parents in 1969
- Serves
- Hennepin County, Minnesota
About PICA
Parents In Community Action, Inc. (PICA) is the federally designated grantee that operates Head Start programs in Hennepin County. Established in 1969, PICA has provided services to low-income families, pregnant women, infants, toddlers and preschoolers for more than 50 years. PICA helps change the economic trajectory of the families they work with by taking a two-generational approach. Providing education and workforce development to parents is the best start we can offer a child.
Mission
Provide comprehensive early childhood and family development services that empower children and families to reach their full potential. Support parents and their communities in defining their needs and programs. Promote community change that values children and their families; and Develop partnerships with parents and the public, private and corporate sectors to assist in achieving our goal of healthy, happy, productive children and families.
Philosophy
Children enter the world ready to learn. PICA’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs help children build on this natural ability. PICA respects each child’s individuality and honors his/her cultural, ethnic, and family heritage. Our child-centered curriculum, the New World Curriculum, focuses on the interests, learning styles, and developmental needs of the individual child and helps each child develop self-esteem, self-help skills, and socialization skills.