Local children dependent on federally paid-for food programs won’t go hungry because money stopped. The federal government’s shutdown is forcing agencies to find alternative ways to pay for the meals.
Agency officials said costs add up: Meals cost $30,000 a month for Head Start of Washington County, $450 to $500 a day at Sunshine School and Development Center and $600 a month for the after-school snack program at the Rogers Activity Center.
All three programs receive reimbursements from the Department of Agriculture. That money stopped Tuesday. Money will not start again until the federal government shutdown ends.
Congress failed to pass a funding bill so when the fiscal year started Oct. 1, money for all programs not deemed essential halted. This is the first time in 17 years the federal government shut down, affecting everything from national parks to the Internal Revenue Service.
No one knows when Congress will pass a funding bill; the last shutdown lasted four weeks in 1995 and 1996.
“I think I was naive and hopeful. I thought Congress would pass something at 11:59 Monday night,” said Cyndi Bilyeu, executive director of Sunshine School and Development Center. “This has been their pattern lately: take things to the 11th hour and then pass a short-term fix.”
Programs that receive federal money for meals are reimbursed monthly, and Bilyeu said the school will still receive money for August and September. The financial shortfall will be evident when next month rolls around, she said, and how much it hurts depends on how long money is suspended.
“For our budget, every penny matters. Every penny is allocated for,” Bilyeu said. “If it goes on too long we will have to look at some tough choices.”
At A Glance
Other Local Impact
The federal government’s Oct. 1 shutdown reaches into several areas of Northwest Arkansas.
• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports there are 2,300 federal employees in Northwest Arkansas. Kathy Deck, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Arkansas, said she didn't know how many were on furlough. About 800,000 federal employees across the country were on furlough Tuesday.
• The Small Business Administration’s Fayetteville office is closed, but the Small Business and Technology Development Center at the University of Arkansas remains open. Larry Brain, director, said the center will not need new money until Jan. 1.
• Many U.S. Department of Agricultural services are closed, but essential services such as milk inspections will continue. The USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Office in Springdale was open Wednesday, but the person answering the phone referred questions to the USDA’s Congressional and Public Affairs Office in Washington. A message for the Washington number said employees are on furlough and wouldn't return calls until after government funding is restored.
• The U.S. District Court offices in El Dorado, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Hot Springs and Texarkana are open for regular business. On or about Oct. 15 the court will reassess the situation and will remain open to support essential functions for constitutionally mandated court activities.
• Jim Rankin, vice provost of research and economic development at the University of Arkansas, said the longer the government is shut down, the more projects will be impacted. He said projects run on different funding schedules. Even if a project loses money, Rankin said the researcher is still employed by the university and can work on something else. The university will have to wait to receive between $8 million and $10 million it was awarded in new money, he said.
Source: Staff Report
Public schools receive money from the USDA for the free and reduced-price school-lunch program, but officials said there's enough money to keep the program going for about 30 more days.
Brenda Zedlitz hopes the Washington showdown concludes before the month’s end. She's director of children’s services for the Economic Opportunity Agency of Washington County, which runs the county’s Head Start program.
Head Start’s meals are covered by the USDA and cost about $30,000 a month, she said.
“Right now that's our only impact,” Zedlitz said. “But our program has a Nov. 1 funding cycle. If the government is not running again by then we will lose our funding.”
The National Head Start Association reports the government’s shutdown forced 23 programs in 11 states to close Tuesday because they were unfunded.
Zedlitz said the Washington County program serves 315 children. Head Start will use United Way and other non-federal money to pay for the meals until the government money resumes.
Jill Darling, president of United Way of Northwest Arkansas, said the agency has limited emergency money available, but she is going to look into ways to help.
Zedlitz said the government reimbursed agencies after the 1995-96 shutdown, but she’s not planning on receiving any money this time.
“The last word we got from the state is that we would not be reimbursed,” she said. “Now we just have to wait for our elected officials to do the right thing.”
Program money comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Head Start programs across the country had cut their budgets 5 percent because of across-the-board federal spending cuts put in place in May.
Money is also stopping for the Rogers Activity Center’s At-Risk After-School Snack Program.
Merleen Heyns, childcare program director, said the program serves 40 to 50 children each day and costs $500 to $600 a month.
The program has some money in reserve, she said.
“We can go on for a little while, but we don’t know for how long,” she said. “We will look for donations if we run out of money before the federal funds start again.”
The program also feeds children on days when school isn't in session. Children in the Rogers School District will be out of school Oct. 18 for a teacher professional development day.
“For me, it’s about the kids that wouldn’t have that snack or meal without this program,” she said. “It’s all about the kids.”