Federally funded education programs could be hurt by government shutdown

Day three of the government shutdown is causing concern for Head Start preschools across the state.

Darin Preis, the executive director for Central Missouri Community Action, said the schools in mid-Missouri will stay open for another month.

However, the problem they are facing is their food supply.

“The C.A.C.F.P is a federal food nutrition program,” said Preis. “That is how we get reimbursed to pay for all of our food, and we have not confirmed that they will be able to pay us back for the cost we are spending in food while the government is shut down.”

No one in the federal government can answer this question for them, so now they are left wondering how much they can take out of their budget to provide food for these kids.

If they can not afford it, then by federal regulations the doors will have to close.

“We are starting to look at contingency plans, and I want to check with the food bank to see if they can help us out in a short term emergency basis,” said Preis.

As for now, they do not expect to have to close the schools.