WAUKESHA, Wis. – It’s day four of a shutdown at a Head Start program in Waukesha County.
Funding freeze
What we know:
Despite a federal judge blocking President Donald Trump’s now rescinded federal freeze, the organization says it hasn’t received critical funds. The federal freeze was blocked and later rescinded last week, but for some nonprofits, the money has yet to thaw out.
Local struggles
Local perspective:
For 50 years, Linda LaFuente has worked at the National Centers For Learning, a Head Start program in Waukesha County serving more than 300 children.
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Last Tuesday, she was laid off along with 64 others due to Trump’s proposed federal funding that was later blocked by a judge and rescinded.
“I just hope there isn’t a lot of arguing and disagreement that this didn’t happen and they got the funding,” she said. “We didn’t get it back yet. We’re still waiting. I hope it comes through.”
LaFuente lost her job while her husband faces health issues.
“He just had a heart attack earlier in 2024 and now this,” she said. “It’s just really hard.”
According to a memo from the White House, Head Start programs are exempt from the proposed freeze. But now almost a week later, the program’s CEO told FOX6 he has yet to receive funding from the federal government’s payment management system.
Dig deeper:
Statewide, Jennie Mauer, the executive director of the Wisconsin Head Start Association said several programs are scrambling.
“What I know for sure is that at least eight programs have no money in their bank accounts to pay bills,” Mauer said. “It breaks my heart and it makes me angry because they are toying with people’s lives.”
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A program built to support low-income families is now in a vulnerable position.
“You don’t work there to make money,” LaFuente said. “You do it for the people who need us.”
The Source: The information in this post was produced by FOX6 News.
