SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Senator Raphael Warnock was back in his hometown of Savannah this morning to visit classrooms at the Savannah-Chatham County Economic Opportunity Authority.

Head Start is a free, federally funded program intended to prepare children ages 0 to 5 for school. It’s a program Warnock is quite familiar with.

“Long before I was a united states senator, I was a child growing up in a head start program, right here in Savannah, Georgia,” said Warnock.

It is intended to serve as a more affordable alternative to traditional preschools. The program is available to families that meet a specific income requirement.

Aside from visiting the classrooms, Warnock was in town to announce a bipartisan bill to provide more resources for the program. He mentioned some of his intentions for the bill when addressing the media today.

“Narrow the word gap, the vocabulary gap between poor children and kids from affluent families. I want to raise the pay for childcare, this is a noble profession. You’re looking at somebody whose life story literally embodies the difference that it makes,” Warnock said.

As somebody who went through the program himself, Warnock emphasizes the importance of investing in our youth.

“As I get older, the more passionate I become. Quite frankly somebody’s got to pay my social security,” Warnock said.

Warnock mentioned that he’s already helped secure a billion dollars in funding for the program- but he insists there is still more progress to be made.

“I’ll continue to do anything I can to support these young children– I was one of them.”

Families interested in enrolling their child in the head start program can do so be clicking or tapping here.

To learn more about local Head Start and Early Head Start programs click or tap here.