Georgia’s Largest Head Start Providers Secure Bridge Loan to Keep Centers Open Temporarily Amid Federal Shutdown
Loan ensures 5800 children and families continue receiving critical services for 45 days, but federal action is urgently needed.
Atlanta, GA – October 28, 2025 – In an unprecedented move to prevent the closure of Head Start programs serving more than 5800 children across Georgia, three of the state’s largest Head Start providers – YMCA of Metro Atlanta, Sheltering Arms, and Easterseals of North Georgia – have secured emergency funding through a bridge loan from the Community Foundation of Georgia. This critical financial support will allow the programs to remain operational for 45 days, providing much-needed stability for families and early education professionals who were at risk because of the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The bridge loan, provided by the Impact Investing Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta, ensures that thousands of Georgia children can continue accessing vital services like early education, meals, and family support. Made possible through a collective philanthropic effort involving more than a dozen individuals and institutions, this initiative underscores the power of community collaboration in addressing urgent needs during times of crisis.
This 45-day reprieve offers Congress a critical window to resolve the shutdown and renew expiring Head Start grants. It also gives State officials an opportunity to explore how surplus state funds might be used to support low-income families and the businesses that rely on Head Start parents as essential employees. Without action, these programs face closures and furloughs, with economic ripple effects that could extend into the holiday season, impacting families, businesses, and communities across Georgia.
“This bridge loan gives us a temporary reprieve, but it’s not a sustainable solution. We need Congress to end the shutdown and ensure these programs can continue to serve the children and families who depend on them,” said Lauren Koontz, President & CEO of YMCA of Metro Atlanta, the largest Head Start provider in Georgia. “Head Start is more than just child care, it’s a lifeline for families in underserved communities.”
The potential closure of Head Start programs would have far-reaching consequences, including:
• Disruption for Families: More than 6,500 children and their families would lose access to critical services, including meals, developmental screenings and support for children with disabilities.
• Economic Impact: Over 800 early education professionals face furloughs, and thousands of parents—many of whom are single parents or essential workers—would struggle to find reliable childcare, affecting their ability to work.
• Ripple Effect on Georgia’s Economy: Businesses would lose significant workforce capacity, further slowing the state’s economy.
"Philanthropic support cannot and should not replace the funding for a 60-year-old federal program, especially one with such a wide-reaching impact,” said Frank Fernandez, President & CEO, Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta. “We are deeply grateful to our funding partners who stepped up to help support this bridge loan, but it is important to recognize that this is only a temporary solution. Our elected officials must take action to end this shutdown and ensure the long-term sustainability of this critical program."
While three of the state’s largest Head Start providers have secured emergency funding, programs in South Georgia face an urgent crisis as grants expiring on November 1st threaten their ability to stay open. Without child care, working families will struggle to find alternative arrangements and may lose income, struggle to pay bills, or even risk job loss. Meanwhile, unpaid Head Start staff will likely seek other jobs or file for unemployment, and many may not return when programs reopen, limiting classroom capacity and disrupting services for families.
"While we’re grateful that Metro Atlanta’s largest Head Start providers have secured a temporary lifeline, we cannot forget the children and families in South Georgia and beyond who remain at risk,” said Mindy Binderman Executive Director of GEEARS. “This crisis underscores the need for federal and state leaders to act swiftly and decisively to protect Head Start and essential family supports.”
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About the YMCA of Metro Atlanta
For more than 165 years, the YMCA of Metro Atlanta has been impacting lives and strengthening communities. As Atlanta has grown, the Y has also evolved to meet the changing needs of our community. Well-thought-out planning, while engaging stakeholders at various levels, provides a backdrop for sustainable change and positive impact at the YMCA of Metro Atlanta. By providing impactful services and support networks, and building bridges between people from all backgrounds, the Y has maintained its relevance, helping to create stronger, more cohesive communities for all. ymcaatlanta.org/
About Sheltering Arms
Sheltering Arms closes opportunity gaps by transforming the lives of children and their families by providing high-quality, equitable early childhood education and leadership in the field since 1888. The agency serves up to 2,100 children and their families annually at 11 metropolitan Atlanta locations in Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties and consistently meets accreditation standards by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. On average, children attending Sheltering Arms score in the 90th percentile for language and literacy, exceeding developmental milestones for kindergarten readiness. Visit shelteringarmsforkids.com for more information.
About Easterseals North Georgia
For more than eight decades, Easterseals North Georgia has been a trusted leader in strengthening the health and development of children with disabilities, their families, and the communities they call home.
At the heart of our mission is a deep commitment to supporting children during the most critical years of growth—their first five years of life. Through a comprehensive system of coordinated care that integrates early education, early intervention, early childhood mental health, and family support services, Easterseals North Georgia helps families build strong foundations for lifelong success.
Every day, our work makes a profound, positive difference in the lives of children and families across North Georgia, ensuring that every child—regardless of ability or circumstance—has the opportunity to thrive. eastersealsnorthgeorgia.org
About Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta
The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta inspires and leads the Atlanta region toward equity and shared prosperity for all who call it home. TogetherATL is the Foundation’s strategic ethos, working through a collaborative approach with community stakeholders, donors, institutional funders, nonprofits and others to consistently examine complex challenges the region faces and create solutions that build a thriving region. Started in 1951, and now in the top 15 of the largest community foundations nationally, it shepherds approximately $1.6 billion in current assets, while simultaneously raising and deploying more than $190 million annually to thousands of nonprofit organizations. Under the leadership of Frank Fernandez and a symphony of influential board members, with support from over 800 donors and institutional and corporate partners, the Foundation is Atlanta’s first stop and prime resource for community-based philanthropy. cfgreateratlanta.org
About GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students
GEEARS is a nonprofit organization operating to inspire and provide leadership for a statewide movement on quality early learning and healthy development for all children ages birth through five. We collaborate with business, civic, and government leaders to maximize the economic return on Georgia's investments in high-quality early education and transformative family supports. It is our mission to ensure that all children thrive by championing research-backed policies and investments, fostering collaboration, and leading a statewide movement to advance public will. Visit: www.geears.org.
Media Contact: David Blumenthal, 678-358-0196, david@cookerly.com
