Families at White Center Preschool Fear Funding Loss Amid Shutdown

Educare, a Head Start preschool in White Center, could run out of funding at the end of November, leaving over 100 children and their families without child care, due to the federal government shutdown.

Educare is among many essential government programs threatened by the federal shutdown that began Oct. 1. The grant cycle for Puget Sound Educational Service District's (PSESD) Head Start programs, which funds the preschool, ends Oct.31, but PSESD was able to secure an emergency temporary loan to provide services through Nov 30.

Still, the fate of the next grant contract is left hanging in the balance. The delay in federal offices reopening has caused fear and anxiety among staff and parents, many of whom also rely on other government services such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Families and staff are "paying attention to what's going on, because their livelihood and their ability to have child care can be based a lot on what that resolution is," Educare family engagement manager Christina Monteith said.

Educare Seattle opened in 2010 and is the only Pacific Northwest location of its 25 national child care and education programs. With currently 124 students enrolled from ages 4 weeks to 5 years old, the child care service is a "safety net" for families who rely on the school for essentials like diapers, formula, and two meals a day, Monteith said.

Monteith described Educare Seattle's demographic as among the most vulnerable in the community. PSESD Executive Director Decca Calloway said many families they serve previously struggled with housing, or are working through addiction recovery. Reliable child care allows them to keep their households together.

"If we do shut down, who do we lose, and where do they land?" Monteith asked. "And we don't know if we'll ever get them back."

Ebahi Omoruan's preschool daughter has been in Educare since she was 6 months old. Staff have become a second family to her child.

"It gives me peace of mind knowing my child is safe, and she's cared for, and in a consistent environment while I'm at work," Omoruan said. "Losing that would really throw our routine off."

Educare Seattle is funded by a federal grant received by PSESD for early learning programs, serving over 1,300 children and 500 employees across primarily King and Pierce counties. Calloway said that even if the government reopens by the end of November, Educare will need notice of a funding award to continue services.

Calloway noted the urgency for the government to reopen for the families who have been unable to work due to the shutdown, and for the people who rely on public resources.

"We're not here to blame a specific party — we teach our preschoolers to work together, to not cast blame on each other," Calloway said. "We would like that to happen for our government as well."

Editor's Note: This story was updated on Oct. 31 to adjust the headline, clarify information about funding dates, and correct a spelling error.