A Statement from Community Action, Inc.

The following is a Statement of Kerri Sheeran Perry, CEO of Community Action, Inc., which operates Greater Haverhill’s Head Start:

“On behalf of the entire team of dedicated staff at Community Action, Inc., we are heartbroken to learn that one of our buses was involved in a collision that resulted in the death of a child and injuries to another child.

“As parents, teachers, caregivers and friends, who have dedicated our lives to serving children, all of us at CAI understand that there is no pain equivalent to the loss of a child. Our focus at this time is on helping the families in any way that we can and on helping our community, staff, and students deal with this unspeakable tragedy.

“The safety of our students and members of our community is our top priority. All of our drivers undergo extensive training and are fully screened prior to employment. Most of our transportation employees have been with us for decades. Our transportation team responded to the scene immediately, and they have been fully cooperative with the ongoing investigation.”

Community Action, Inc. (CAI) is a non-profit organization established in 1965 to provide opportunities for families and individuals in Greater Haverhill to overcome poverty. In addition to Haverhill, we serve Amesbury, Boxford, Georgetown, Groveland, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury and we have additional programs that support other communities throughout the North Shore, Merrimack Valley, and Cape Ann. CAI Head Start/Early Head Start provides comprehensive services to more than 300 infants, toddlers, expectant mothers, fathers and preschool children. We provide kindergarten preparedness programs and assessments for developmental, behavioral, health and dental matters for preschool-age children.

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