Carla Moralez hesitated to call Project Eagle for help back in 2012 when she unexpectedly became a single parent to her 2-year-old twins but was encouraged by her family to make the call for help. She worked with the Connections program to complete a needs assessment and started receiving Project Eagle home visiting services. Carla credits her home visitor, Anne Marie Jackson, with empowering her and validating her dream of working in the health care field. While she didn’t qualify for a lot of benefits at the time, Carla was still able to enroll her twins in Project Eagle’s Educare Kansas City Center-Based program. This enabled her to work and attend school all while parenting her growing twins.

Over a decade later, she looks back with appreciation on the support she received. She shared her perspectives during a listening session hosted by the Kansas Early Childhood Transition Task Force.  

“We need more programs like Project Eagle that are 100% supportive of us,” she said. “There are many single-parent families that could benefit from this program.” 

Carla currently works with the Community Health Council of Wyandotte County as the Maternal Community Health Worker Team Leader. She says assuredly, “I know that I can help others in any situation. I’ve seen these same struggles.” 

Carla is happy to see that her twins are doing well in school. They especially excel in math and reading. She encourages them to try new things like playing in the school orchestra and participating in mathletics competitions.  

About Project Eagle

Project Eagle is a program of the University of Kansas Medical Center providing services for Wyandotte County’s youngest children and their families since 1989. With a staff of 80+ highly qualified, prepared and invested staff members, Project Eagle provides direct services to pregnant women and families with young children in Wyandotte County, Kansas, through Early Head Start Home Visiting, Educare Kansas City Center-Based programming, and the Connections Comprehensive Early Childhood Screening and Referral Program. Our programs focus on the health and well-being of young children and expectant families and aim to prepare children, engage families and promote excellence in the broader field of early childhood education. Project Eagle annually serves future professionals from the fields of education, social work, public health, nursing and medicine through student internships. 

Recently, Project Eagle opened the Family Resource Center for all families living in Wyandotte County. The Family Resource Center serve as a connecting hub for families to identify and access services to help them succeed and to provide thriving and nurturing environments for their children. This program serves any family who is expecting a baby or cares for a child under five years of age, and all members of the family are welcome to attend. The center is located at 444 Minnesota Avenue, Suite 228, Kansas City, KS 66101. You can also reach the center also by calling 913-321-9999. 

Visit the Project Eagle homepage to learn more about the organization, its programs and services offered.