Many federally-funded Head Start centers are facing financial difficulties due to a halt in federal grants, leaving them unable to pay staff and meet operational costs. The program serves thousands of low-income families, and disruptions in funding could force some centers to close temporarily, endangering the jobs of around 6,000 employees and childcare services for about 20,000 children. Jennifer Bailey, a provider in Wisconsin, is anxiously awaiting $600,000 in funding to continue operations and pay employees, reflecting broader concerns in the sector regarding financial stability.
Bailey said her center, called Reach Dane, has opened a credit line with its bank because it's still waiting on $600,000 from Head Start that it needs.
As of February 6, these centers hadn't received the funds they needed to serve nearly 20,000 children from low-income families.
Collection
[
|
...
]