Partnership with St. Luke’s Lutheran Care Center Expands Free Early Childhood Services for Local Agricultural Families
(Blue Earth, Minn.) – Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. is pleased to announce the upcoming opening of a new Head Start center in Blue Earth, Minnesota. This center is made possible through a collaborative partnership with St. Luke’s Lutheran Care Center, which will provide dedicated space within its facility for the new early childhood education site.
Tri-Valley’s Head Start program serves families working in agriculture and provides comprehensive services to infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and pregnant women. The new center in Blue Earth will help meet the growing need for high-quality, free early childhood education and family support services in the region. Services are anticipated to begin in June of 2026.
With funding secured through federal and state grants, Tri-Valley is renovating a wing of St. Luke’s Lutheran Care Center to create classrooms and program spaces that meet Minnesota state licensing requirements and the rigorous standards of the Head Start Program Performance Standards. Renovations are underway and will result in a safe, welcoming, and developmentally appropriate environment designed specifically to meet the needs of young children and families.
Bringing this program into the community is an investment in both families and the local economy. By creating employment opportunities, purchasing goods and services from local businesses, and strengthening partnerships with local organizations, Tri-Valley helps invest resources within the community while supporting the workforce needs of agricultural families.
Once construction is complete, Tri-Valley will host a community open house to introduce the new center, provide tours, and celebrate this partnership and the increased opportunities it brings to families in Faribault County and the surrounding area.
“We are excited to move our services from Winnebago to Blue Earth which is closer to where our families live and work, and grateful for St. Luke’s partnership in making this possible,” said Lindsay Vokaty, Special Projects Manager. “This center represents a significant investment in children, families, and the future of our community.”
The Blue Earth Head Start center will offer:
• Free early childhood education for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children
• Support for pregnant women, including prenatal education and family services
• Comprehensive services such as nutrition, health, transportation assistance, family engagement, and developmental screenings
• Summer services, designed for families working in agriculture
Families interested in enrolling or learning more about Head Start services may contact Center Manager Randi Rieffer at 218-281-5832 or visit www.tvoc.org.
Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. is a non-profit community action agency headquartered in Crookston, Minn. In existence since 1965, Tri-Valley provides services in 74 counties in Minnesota and Eastern North Dakota. The mission of Tri-Valley is to provide opportunities to improve the quality of life for people and communities. For more information on services offered and job opportunities at Tri-Valley visit the website at www.tvoc.org, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TVOCInc or on Twitter at @TriValley_TVOC.
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