LBJ&C Head Start officials said funding for this year is set, but federal spending cuts are a long-term concern.
The federally-funded program provides free early childhood education services to low income families. LBJ&C Director Penny Meadows said Head Start needs funding to stay the same or increase so it can continue to help people across the region.
“Head Start is not about a paycheck, you know?” Meadows said. “Head Start is heart work. You know, you have to have the love and ability to serve others and want to see others be successful.”
Meadows said the Upper Cumberland Head Start program serves over 1,000 children and their families, and it costs some $12 million to operate. Meadows said if funding were to disappear, Head Start would be forced to close its doors.
“I don’t want to scare people and them say ‘Hey, I don’t want to apply for Head Start because it might go away,'” Meadows said. “I don’t think Head Start would go away in an instantaneous fashion because there’s too many people that would do everything they can for as long as they can.”
Meadows said this year’s funding is the same as last year’s. She said future funding will be determined by the Congressional Appropriation Committee.
“We have the future in our hands,” Meadows said. “And the people that work out in our Head Start centers, even the people here in the central office, but we’re all trying to make sure that those children are ready for the future.”
There are 20 Head Start centers across 12 counties in the Upper Cumberland.
