Last year, Hurricane Helene devastated our community. But when we emerged from our homes after a sleepless night to downed trees, flooded homes, and broken windows, we came together as a community and cleaned up. We fed each other and cared for each other’s children. This federal shutdown is proving worse than the hurricane for many in our community.
Through a federal Head Start grant, Action Pact provides childcare, health screenings and wrap around services to 548 children and employs 187 teachers and staff. We have 15 locations in a full dozen South Georgia counties, including Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Brantley, Candler, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Jeff Davis, Pierce, Toombs and Ware.
But this week, our centers, which so many families rely on, will be forced to close our Head Start classrooms, leaving infants, toddlers and preschoolers without care. This threat is happening for us (and nearly 6,000 other Georgia children) at this moment because our Head Start grant happens to be due for renewal November 1. With the federal government currently shut down, we won’t be able to access these essential funds.
Our working families who depend on this care will need to scramble for alternative arrangements. Some may turn to relatives or friends for help, while others may be forced to stay home from work, jeopardizing their income and potentially impacting their reputation as reliable employees. In rural communities like ours, one of four childcare slots is a Head Start slot. The ripple effects will inevitably be felt across households, workplaces and our communities.
Head Start has long earned bipartisan support, in Georgia and across the country, because it does more than educate. It provides two meals and a snack each day, health screenings and stability for families. If this care grinds to a halt, parents won’t be able to work, our dedicated teachers will face furloughs and children will miss out on critical learning and development. All are likely to face financial hardship.
Despite the shutdown, elected officials at the federal and state level must act to protect the children and families of South Georgia who are at risk of losing these vital services. Lawmakers can and should ensure that Head Start programs remain open, so our youngest learners don’t suffer the consequences of gridlock in Washington.
Diane Rogers Executive Director Action Pact
