Press Releases

ATLANTA, GA – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) visited the YMCA’s Head Start program in Atlanta, Georgia this week to discuss the impacts of the government shutdown on the families it serves. 

Rep. Carter with Head Start Staff

Head Start is a federal program offering high-quality early education, nutritious meals, health and developmental screenings, and essential support services for children with disabilities, those experiencing homelessness, and low-income families. Due to the prolonged government shutdown, 135 Head Start programs did not receive their operational funding on November 1, including five programs in Georgia. This disruption has forced many programs to shut their doors, jeopardizing childcare and food security for over 6,500 children in Georgia. 

“Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock are using hardworking Georgia families as political leverage. Head Start is a critical program that provides meals and childcare to children and families in need. Much of Georgia’s success as the number one state in the nation to do business relies on this program, which is proven to improve academic performance, better health outcomes, increase graduation rates, and reduce involvement in the criminal justice and child welfare system. The longer this Democrat-led shutdown continues, the more programs will shutter, and fewer families will have access to the life-changing services they rely on to make it to work and put food on the table,” said Rep. Carter.

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