Hundreds of low-income families will be losing their childcare, and many workers will be unemployed, due to loss of funding caused by the government shutdown. Community Action of Central Texas has a federally funded Head Start program designed to promote school readiness and provide other needed services to struggling families, and it must close until the government reopens.
Danielle Engelke, Community Action Inc. of Central Texas Head Start program director, said Head Start provides early childhood education, health, nutrition and family engagement services with a focus on children’s social, emotional and physical development. Head Start services were provided at seven locations and served 448 children.
Engelke said Head Start was on a five-year grant cycle and beginning its third year. The program has not received funding for Fiscal Year 2026 and needs approximately $600,000 a month to continue to operate.
“Therefore we are unable to continue to operate without the funding and forced to close until the government reopens,” she said.
Engelke noted that not only will families need to find alternative childcare during this time, they will also be losing out on the free breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, diapers and formula that was previously supplied by Head Start.
“We also provide resources and referrals to families for a variety of needs – utility assistance, disability services, crisis, mental health, etc.,” Engelke said. “These case management services are halted until staff can return. This is now something that parents will need to handle as long as we are closed.”
Engelke said that 126 staff members will also be temporarily laid off until funding is reinstated, which creates a “hardship for everyone.”
