When Congress Shuts Down, Children Pay the Price

Urgent Episode Exposes Human Cost of Shutdown on 65,000 Head Start KidsWASHINGTON, D.C. — As the federal government shutdown enters its fifth week, Early Childhood Chats releases a breaking episode recorded just 48 hours before November 1st, when 134 Head Start programs serving 65,000 children in 41 states and Puerto Rico could lose all funding.Host Andy Roszak, a former Senate staffer and early childhood advocate, sits down with Sarah Rubinfield, Managing Director of Government Affairs at the First Five Years Fund (FFYF). With over 15 years of Capitol Hill experience advocating for children and families, Sarah now leads bipartisan efforts to strengthen federal support for early learning and child care—ensuring parents can work and children can thrive. Learn more at ffyf.org.Together they go beyond headlines to reveal the real-time human toll: teachers updating résumés for Walmart, parents forced to quit jobs the moment child care vanishes, and the possible uptick in domestic violence that follows when families lose their safety net.“They might last a week… then the doors close.” — Sarah Rubinfield“One day a child gets three meals. The next? Nothing.” — Andy RoszakThe conversation explores how the shutdown threatens Head Start, CCDBG, SNAP, and WIC—and how those losses ripple through workplaces, local economies, and the national fabric. Despite decades of bipartisan support for these programs, federal inaction now puts essential early learning at risk.From Capitol Hill insights to on-the-ground realities, Andy and Sarah deliver one urgent message: this shutdown isn’t politics as usual. It’s about real families, real children, and real futures we can still protect.“Your voice is bigger than any lobbyist. Bring a crayon drawing.” — Andy RoszakCall Congress: house.gov | senate.govAct now: ffyf.orgListen Now: earlychildhoodchats.com 👉 Subscribe for more insights and updates👉 Head Start East Conference: https://www.headstarteast.org/🌐 Learn more from First Five Years Fund:Website: https://www.ffyf.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firstfiveyears/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ffyfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/first5yearsfundX: https://x.com/firstfiveyearsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/firstfiveyearsEpisode SummaryIn this powerful and timely episode of Early Childhood Chats, host Andy Roszak sits down with Sarah Rubinfield, Managing Director of Government Affairs at the First Five Years Fund, to unpack the devastating effects of the ongoing federal government shutdown on America’s most vulnerable families. Recorded 48 hours before the November 1st funding cliff, the conversation goes beyond headlines to explore what happens when programs like Head Start, CCDBG, SNAP, and WIC lose funding—and how those disruptions ripple through communities, workplaces, and the national economy. Together, Andy and Sarah shed light on the real-world consequences for children, parents, and providers—and what can be done to protect essential early childhood programs that millions depend on. From Capitol Hill insights to on-the-ground realities, this episode underscores one urgent message: this shutdown isn’t politics as usual; it’s about real families, real children, and real futures.----------------------------Early Childhood Chats is hosted by Andrew Roszak - JD, MPA, EMT-PExecutive Director at the Institute for Childhood Preparedness. The Institute for Childhood Preparedness is proud to use its decades of experience to offer comprehensive and expert disaster and emergency preparedness trainings live in-person, via webinar, and on-demand online. // Visit: https://www.childhoodpreparedness.org/ to find out more FOLLOW UShttps://www.instagram.com/childhoodpreparedness/ https://www.facebook.com/ChildPreparedhttps://twitter.com/ChildPreparedhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-for-childhood-preparedness© Institute for Childhood Preparedness 2025 all rights reserved