As the U.S. government shutdown stretches into its 36th day with no resolution in sight, Youth In Need has decided to keep its Head Start program open for the month of November. Despite the expiration of its largest Head Start grant on October 31, Youth In Need is continuing to serve all of the children and families in its early learning programs for the next three and a half weeks, using a Board-approved contingency plan. However, with no federal grant in place, nearly one-quarter of Youth In Need’s cash reserves will be used in the month of November to maintain services

“We are choosing to stay open, despite not having a current grant to fund these services for our children and families,” said Pat Holterman-Hommes, President and CEO. “Our families need us, and our staff deserve stability. As in past government shutdowns, we are trusting that the federal government will reimburse us once the shutdown ends, and the grant award process resumes.”

Youth In Need’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs currently serve nearly 1,200 children and their families across a 100-mile service area, supported by a dedicated team of hundreds of educators and staff. This includes seven independent early learning centers that Youth In Need partners with across the region. At the national level, 140 other Head Start programs across 41 states and Puerto Rico—serving more than 65,000 children—are facing the same dilemma on whether they can continue to deliver critical services without federal grant funding.

These services are critical to family support and community stability. Head Start program closures or interruptions to services would upend fragile family and financial systems, cutting off access to nutritious meals, physical and mental health checkups and other vital supports. Reliable care is also crucial for the thousands of parents who depend on Head Start while they work or attend school. The prospect of Youth In Need’s program—and similar Head Start programs across the state and country—closing their doors, furloughing staff and ceasing to provide critical services to children and families dramatically increases with each day that the shutdown continues.

How You Can Help

  • Donate online to ensure services continue for the children and families who need them most.
  • Contact your members of Congress directly and urge them to protect Head Start and end the shutdown now, or visit the National Head Start Association to find out how.