HELP-NM proposes to use Chaparral Community Center for early childhood services

ALAMOGORDO — HELP-NM, Inc. presented a proposal to use the Chaparral Community Center for early childhood services in the community at Thursday’s Otero County Commission meeting.

County Commissioners agreed to discuss the topic during their fall strategic meeting to see if they can have a public meeting in Chaparral to garner feedback from residents to see if they would like to see the community center utilized by HELP-NM to offer programs such as Head Start and Early Head Start.

The meetings have not been scheduled at this time.

According to HELP-NM’s website, for more than 51 years, HELP-NM has provided services to more than 950,000 individuals and families. The 501c3 organization exists to create self-sufficiency and promote economic opportunities to strengthen families throughout New Mexico.

HELP-NM CEO Michael Gutierrez and Vice President of the Office of Learning and Academic Opportunity Gloria Lopez were in attendance at Thursday’s meeting and briefed commissioners on the need for early childhood services in Chaparral.

“Our main focus is on communities in the rural areas because we feel that these areas don’t really have these services,” said Gutierrez. “We have a couple partnerships with this county already. We would like to expand those services by asking for a building to add revenue to your county in Chaparral.”

Lopez said HELP-NM currently serves 23 counties in New Mexico, five of which are in southern New Mexico.

HELP-NM has been serving southern New Mexico since 1970 and offers services in Hidalgo County, Luna County, Doña Ana County, Sierra County and Otero County.

Approximately 600 children are served from prenatal to 5 years of age. The key programs they offer are Head Start, Early Head Start and NM Pre-K. The services also include education, mental health, nutrition, disabilities, health, family services and parent engagement.

Lopez said HELP-NM has been present in Otero County for 33 years and plans to expand services in the near future.

“Expansion of our existing services would mean most of our classrooms that we currently provide are part time but would like to make them full day,” said Lopez. “According to research, the best value for children is having them for a full day.”

Head Start would expand to the duration of the school year and will be a full day. The NM Pre-K would also expand to full day.

Lopez said HELP-NM would also like to introduce new services for the Early Head Start to increase prenatal and 3-year-old slots. They would also like to increase 3-year-old slots for the NM Pre-K and include a summer program.

HELP-NM is in Alamogordo, La Luz and Tularosa.

Lopez said the dilemma in Chaparral is that the classrooms are in three different locations where the classrooms in the other locations can be found in one facility.

She said they are looking into the community center in Doña Ana County to temporarily house the classrooms until they can find a better solution.

“If we use the community center in Chaparral we will use it for most of the year. Nine months for early childhood services and the rest of the three months for our summer program,” said Lopez.

If approved, HELP-NM will utilize the community center to full occupancy by July 1, 2018 and it will be responsible for general building and grounds maintenance.

Commissioner Susan Flores said HELP-NM is a great organization but the only issue was the community center was built for all the residents of Chaparral which is why she suggested they have a public meeting about it.

“I do know this is a good program. I worked with the children there through the Keep Tulie Beautiful program. It’s a super good program,” said Flores. “The only problem we have is the community center next to the fire station was built so that the citizens of Chaparral can have a community center, this was voted on by the previous board. It’s a one room building and we don’t have a kitchen in it yet. I propose to have a meeting down there because it was for the citizens.”

Gutierrez told commissioners that the county wouldn’t have to spend much funding because HELP-NM will be covering most of the expenses that includes utilities and appliances.

“We do have equipment already purchased for this facility,” said Gutierrez. “We’re hoping this can be a win-win situation for both HELP-NM and Otero County, but the ones who will benefit the most would be the children.”

Commissioner Janet White said the public meeting should be expected sometime after they have their county strategic planning meeting coming up in the next few months.