SCICAP Head Start forced to close some classrooms

it will be temporarily closing some classrooms and pausing some services beginning November 15, 2025, because of the ongoing federal government shutdown. The closure will leave 77 children and their families in Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe and Wayne counties without the early learning, nutrition, and family support they depend on every day.

“This is heartbreaking,” said Jennifer Mitchell, SCICAP HS/EHS Program Director. “Our families count on us to be a safe, stable place for their children — and now, through no fault of their own, they’re left scrambling”.

Head Start programs like SCICAP, Inc. depend on federal funding to serve children and families. With that support frozen, SCICAP, Inc. has been relying on limited reserves to stay open — but those funds will run out.

“We’ve stretched every dollar, but we can’t pay teachers or feed children without our federal grant,” Brenda Fry, SCICAP Executive Director added. “This shutdown is more than politics — it’s personal. It’s hurting kids and families right here in the counties we serve.”

Yasmina Vinci, Executive Director of the National Head Start Association, said, “Head Start programs are part of the fabric of their communities. When a program is forced to close, children lose stability, families lose their footing, and the whole community feels it. Congress and the President must act immediately to reopen the government and restore this essential funding.”

SCICAP, Inc. is urging local community members to:

• Contact their Members of Congress and urge immediate action to end the shutdown;
• Support local families through donations to your local SCICAP Outreach Center;
• Stay informed by visiting www.scicap.org or by visiting our Facebook page (South Central Iowa Community Action Program);

About South Central Iowa Community Action Program (SCICAP)

SCICAP, Inc. has served families in Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe and Wayne Counties since 1965, providing resources that strengthen financial stability, health, and education. Each year, the agency helps more than 3,900 people improve their household well-being through both direct services and community partnerships. Its programs include Head Start and Early Head Start, Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Family Development and Self-Sufficiency (FaDSS), Weatherization for homes, Parents as Teachers (PAT), among other services such as food pantries. The organization’s mission: SCICAP empowers individuals and families with services to become self-sufficient and contribute positively to their communities. Learn more at www.scicap.org.