Head Start programs around the country are quickly running out of federal funding, with some in Central Florida expected to close in November if the shutdown continues.
The federally funded program provides free, comprehensive services to promote school readiness for low-income children and families, from birth to age 5.
Orange County's Head Start should be covered through January, as it has the support of the county government to keep its doors open into the new year.
In a statement, Orange County Head Start Division Manager Sonya Hill said: "Despite the current federal government shutdown, all Orange County Head Start operations are continuing without interruption."
Orange County Head Start is scheduled to receive $16.3 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the current fiscal year, she said. "With the support of Orange County Government and established funding reserves, at this time Head Start does not anticipate any disruption to its operations or services."
But Head Start centers for migrant kids throughout the state, operated by Redlands Christian Migrant Association, or RCMA for short, based in Immokalee, could close by Nov. 1. They include several centers in Central Florida.
RCMA said three centers in Polk, one in Orange County and one in Lake County, and centers in Seville and Marion County could shut down.
RCMA serves 1,748 children across 24 centers in 18 Florida counties. It said in a statement that, if the shutdown continues, 685 RCMA teachers, caregivers, and family advocates could be furloughed.
"This is a devastating situation that directly impacts children who depend on us for education, nutrition, and care every single day," RCMA Executive Director Isabel Garcia said in a news release. "We are doing everything in our power to keep our centers open, but without federal support, the reality is that these programs cannot operate."
Head Start Deputy Director Tommy Sheridan said those grants are running out as the shutdown continues. If Head Start centers close, Sheridan said children will suffer academically and socio-emotionally without the free early childhood education.
"Head Start isn't just preschool. For many children in our country, this is where they get nutritious meals. It's where they have health screenings. It's where they access early-intervention programs for developmental delays," Sheridan said. "These services need to be addressed and provided to children as early as possible, or else there will be long-term impacts and consequences."
In many communities, especially rural and urban ones, Sheridan said, "Head Start might be one of the only early-learning programs that are available and affordable for the children and families that we serve."
Many parents also rely on Head Start programs as a safe, free option for childcare, and may not be able to continue to work a full-time job without it.
"Parents in Head Start work multiple jobs. They attend college, community college, or are in job training programs, they count on Head Start so they can provide for their families," Sheridan said. "And without Head Start, many programs will either have no affordable child care options, and they may be forced to either leave their jobs or put their children in a situation that is not necessarily the safest."
Head Start is also an income generator for local communities and businesses.
Already, six Head Start programs serving 6,525 children around the country are operating without federal funding. By Nov. 1, another 134 programs across 41 states and Puerto Rico, serving 58,627 children, will run out of money.
Sheridan said he is calling on the government to end the shutdown, which began Oct. 1. In the meantime, he said Head Start programs won't be able to fundraise their way out of the funding crunch.
Other services that support low-income children and families like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance or SNAP program could run out of funds in November. SNAP provides money for milk and food on EBT cards that families can use at grocery stores and farmer's markets. Millions of Floridians rely on this benefit to feed their families.
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