Head Start and Early Head Start
Natural Bridges
255 Swift St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Run by Encompass Community Services
Head Start centers / California / Santa Cruz
Early Head Start
Branciforte
A Early Head Start center in Santa Cruz, California, run by Encompass Community Services.
Center details
Program: Early Head Start
Ages served: Early Head Start: pregnant women, babies and toddlers under 3
Address: 175 Benito Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
County: Santa Cruz
Run by: Encompass Community Services, Santa Cruz, CA
Federal grant ID (for reference): 09CH012382
Funded seats at this site: Early Head Start: 20. These are total funded seats, not how many are open.
Phone: (831) 706-0047
To apply, call: (831) 688-3802
Every Head Start program must meet federal quality rules for early learning, health and family support. When you call, ask: How do I apply and what documents do I bring? Is there a waitlist? Is the day full or part? Is there transportation?
Who can enroll
Head Start serves children ages 3 to 5 (ask the center about its birthday cutoff date). Early Head Start serves pregnant women, babies and toddlers under 3. Both are free for families who qualify.
Families usually qualify when household income is at or below the federal poverty guideline for their family size, or when the family gets public assistance such as TANF or SSI, the child is in foster care, or the family is experiencing homelessness. Programs may also enroll some children from families just above the guideline, and each program sets its own application steps and waitlist, so ask the center.
Official HHS poverty guidelines (current year) · Head Start's own center locator
More Head Start locations in Santa Cruz
Head Start and Early Head Start
Natural Bridges Head Start/Early Head Start
255 Swift St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Run by CDI HS
Other options near Santa Cruz
Licensed child care and after-school programs in Santa Cruz · California child care rules
Source: Head Start Service Location Dataset, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start (CSV file), file dated November 8, 2026. The information is reported by each Head Start grant recipient and can be out of date, so call the center to confirm its address, hours and openings. Locations the program lists as closed are left out. Home-based locations show city and ZIP code only. A listing is not an endorsement.
Something wrong? Head Start centers update their own records with the Office of Head Start; you can also tell us and we'll fix or remove this page.