CalFresh And Head Start Programs At Risk If Congress Fails To Act

A total of 134 Head Start programs across California and the nation face a funding crisis if the federal government shutdown persists beyond November 1. These essential early-learning initiatives span across 41 states and Puerto Rico, reaching over 65,000 children, as reported by the First Five Years Fund, an organization dedicated to promoting federal policies in early childhood education.U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA-43), who chairs the Committee on Financial Services, cautions that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would similarly suffer if the shutdown continues. Waters, a former Head Start educator, introduced the Head Start Shutdown Protection Act to guarantee federal reimbursement for local governments supporting Head Start programs during the impasse. Established in 1965 amid President Lyndon B. Johnson’s "War on Poverty," the Head Start initiative nurtures children in low-income families, offering crucial educational and health services. Unfortunately, prolonged budgetary stalemates threaten the very foundation of these necessary programs.