As the creator of the nation’s premier Head Start management software, ChildPlus Software wants to give back to the Head Start community with $5,000.

Thank you to every Head Start/EHS agency that entered! We were touched by your stories and kind words. It was very difficult to choose a single agency.

ChildPlus Software is pleased to announce the winner of $5,000 is Elizabeth Peterson and Economic Security Corporation. Congratulations!

Elizabeth, the Coordinator of Enrollment Services and ChildPlus.net Administrator for Economic Security Corporation in Joplin, MO, told us about the past year.

“In May, 2011, Joplin was devastated by an EF5 tornado, which left a path of destruction a mile wide and 12 miles long. Tens of thousands became homeless, thousands were injured and many lives were lost.” See Joplin before and after the tornado in this video.

In the wake of disaster, Economic Security Corporation mobilized to help.

“Beginning that night our Bus Drivers used Head Start buses to transport the injured to temporary triage centers. The next few weeks Bus Drivers transported emergency personnel in and out of the affected areas. When the focus switched to clean-up, Bus Drivers transported residents to and from community resource sites where they received assistance related to their needs.

Many childcare facilities were destroyed in the tornado. Our program operates a 9-month session so classroom and family advocate staff had already begun their summer lay-off. Within 3 days Head Start and Early Head Start management staff consisting of program coordinators and site managers organized emergency childcare for children birth to 5 at a Head Start center in Joplin.

Classroom and family advocate staff (already on layoff), volunteered their time in the classrooms. Coordinators, site managers and family advocates assisted in the classrooms, cooked and served meals, washed dishes and performed a variety of other tasks. Parents in the community had a safe and welcoming place for their children while they went to work or attended to things related to the tornado.”

The Economic Security Corporation continued to help families and set up funds for more than 20 employees and family who lost their homes, were injured, or lost a loved one.

Economic Security Corporation “will use the money to offset the additional costs of program services that were incurred due to the tornado that were not covered by [their] grant award.”

Elizabeth added, “We love ChildPlus and rely on it for tracking and monitoring program services!!”

ChildPlus Software is excited to be able to give back to such a deserving agency.

Check back in Fall 2012 for more details on entry dates.

Entering is easy! All you have to do is tell us why your agency should receive $5,000 and how you’ll use it.

The $5,000 will be given to a single agency, and you don’t have to be a ChildPlus.net user to win! Use it for new computers, toys, furniture, renovations, whatever you want!