The Hinesville Fire Department helped celebrate 50 years of Head Start on Friday.

Liberty Early Head Start celebrated the occasion with parents and volunteers. Activities included outdoor games and story time. Firefighters showed the children their gear and gave a tour of the fire truck.

Coastal Georgia Area Community Action Authority Inc., Liberty Early Head Start-Bradwell provides early education services to 24 infants, toddlers and pregnant moms.

The goal of Early Head Start is to encourage healthy prenatal outcomes for pregnant women, improve the development of young children and support healthy family functioning. The teacher-child ratio at Early Head Start is 1 to 4, with a maximum group size of eight children.

Families receive a variety of services at Early Head Startincluding home visits, child care, comprehensive health and mental-health services, parent education, nutrition education, health care and referrals, and family support.

Coastal Georgia Area Community Action Authority Inc. is accepting applications for Liberty Early Head Start-Bradwell and Liberty County Head Start/Early Head Start in Riceboro.

Call 912-884-3134 or 912-876-5977 for more information.

Head Start was one of many programs lauched during President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “War on Poverty.”