Georgia nonprofits get loan to keep Head Start programs afloat amid ongoing shutdown funding issue
As the government shutdown enters its fourth week, thousands of low-income families in Georgia who depend on Head Start are at risk of losing access to child care and education.
The early education initiative is funded almost entirely by the federal government, making it particularly vulnerable to funding disruptions. The programs — which are run by schools, local governments, and nonprofits — receive new grants annually and are not allowed to carry over unspent money.
With new grants on hold, the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta and other funding partners have stepped in with an emergency loan to keep Georgia’s largest Head Start providers afloat for more than a month.
The YMCA of Metro Atlanta, Easterseals of North Georgia, and Sheltering Arms serve more than 6,500 children and their families, giving them vital services like early education and meals.
The $8 million loan made possible through the donations of more than a dozen individuals and institutions will keep the Head Start programs open for 45 days.
“If we didn’t receive this bridge loan, on Nov. 1, at the end of the day, we would have shut down all of our centers and furloughed staff,” said Lauren Koontz, the president of YMCA of Metro Atlanta.
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