Because of state budget cuts, 24 area children will no longer be able to receive free child care through the Early Head Start program. As of July 1, the program will lose 53 percent of its funding, cut from approximately $445,000 to $208,000, causing program directors to cut 24 slots for children and three staff positions.
“We knew this was coming but we didn’t know how drastic the cuts would be until the budget was passed,” said Loletta Combs, director of the Family and Child Development Department at the Children’s Therapy Center. “The decisions we had to make, it’s sad.”
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