Encompass Community Services’ Head Start and Early Head Start programs will remain open through Oct. 31, ensuring uninterrupted early learning, nutrition and family support services for more than 250 children and families across Santa Cruz County.
This stability was made possible through a local partnership led by the County of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah and First 5 Santa Cruz County. Together, these partners identified and secured $362,000 in bridge funding—including $240,000 from the County of Santa Cruz (pending Board of Supervisors approval on Oct. 7) and $122,000 from the Santa Cruz County Office of Education—to keep classrooms open while long-term funding solutions are pursued.
“We are deeply grateful to our partners for stepping forward with urgency, collaboration,and a deep understanding of how vital Head Start is to working families,” said Shellee Stopera, CEO of Encompass Community Services. “This partnership is an incredible example of what’s possible when a community comes together to put children and families first.”
The bridge funding provides crucial time to work toward resolution of federal funding issues affecting Head Start programs nationwide. Delays associated with the federal government shutdown, the reversal of previously approved carryover funds, and a proposed long-term reduction in the program’s federal grant created a shortfall that threatened local operations.
Encompass is actively working with Congressman Jimmy Panetta and federal partners to advocate for the reinstatement of the full five-year Head Start grant—restoring funding from $6 million to $10 million—and to reauthorize the use of previously approved carryover funds.
