programs at risk under President Donald Trump's so-called skinny budget proposal is head start.

>> Parents who otherwise may not be able to afford child care, rely on head start when they go to work or school.

The program operates across all 50 states and supports more than 600 childcare centers.

In 28,000 children across Illinois, completely shutting down.

The program requires congressional approval.

But head start, advocates say the disruption and uncertainty are already having devastating consequences.

Joining us now on the potential impact of cuts are Laurie Fritzl, the executive director of the Illinois Head Start Association and Michaela Collins, former head start parent who now sits on the board of directors at the Illinois Head Start Association.

Thanks to you both for joining I'm Lori, Start with you.

Please remind us how head start is funded and how that funding works to serve children.

Sure.

Thank you for the opportunity to share and talk about head.

Start tonight.

>> Head Start is funded federal to local so the come from the federal government to the local program.

We have over 15, what we call head start grantees across the state and thousands of centers that provide support head start services, head start programs, submit annually, an application or grant application and their level of funding is set within the grant application and then they they pull down federal funds from what's the federal payment management system as they need those funds throughout annual year of services.

And how does that?

>> Work has all that work to support children and families.

>> Right.

So the the funding is there to support.

>> The service for the head start program and majority of the funds go to pay the workforce.

And so we've experienced difficulty over the last few with funding pulling down funds and accessing funds to keep programs open and providing those critical lifelines for our families and the services for children, which parents depend on to get there to get to work.

They need safe, reliable source of care for their child and regular Colin.

So more about that and how head start was useful for you.

your children a bigger now, but when you needed it, I actually was able to work full time.

>> Because I didn't have to give my you know, early time because of the program say it open a little longer.

also was able to had issues with food as is at times and they were able to provide services.

My children were just able to get what they need in the as a mom, I was able to get assistance with getting the see cap program going on and see kind of the childcare, a program where the state of Illinois, yes, it was just very helpful.

And I was able to volunteer at the center and always be around my children.

If I needed to be.

Should those helpful as a mom, you can keep an eye on I'm Laura.

You just mentioned this.

But even before the federal government decides on the status quo or the status excuse me of this programming and funding.

>> President Trump's executive orders were already impacting head.

Start talking more about that, correct.

So there's been a lot of executive orders and the to that I would like to highlight is one around diversity, equity and inclusion and the other around immigration.

And so We are part of the ACLU lawsuit for primary reasons around the dismantling regards to the funding which we talked about.

so because of the diversity equity equity and inclusion.

>> rules came down that we were to remove.

>> Diversity, equity, inclusion from our work from all of our websites and and all of the when you write a grant application, you include good work that goes into programming young children and families and that the heart and soul of that is diversity, equity and inclusion to remove all of that is that's not right.

It's mean-spirited and wrong.

And so we think the program said they're just remove the language and keep providing the services like they always have.

But now we have to certify that we're not doing anything related to diversity, equity and Inclusion, Inc and also spending any funds around that which is directly in conflict with the state's requirement.

Correct?

Yeah.

So we many of our programs blend and break funding.

They weave it together with preschool for all are child care assistance program and the state the policies and regulations are grounded and founded in diversity, equity and inclusion.

When we're on it, remind us of the history of Head Start.

we started 60 years ago during during the racial tensions and it was because of head start that the funds go federal to local because states didn't want to help families in poverty.

And so the LBJ administration said that's 2 federal, local and that's, you know, that's our founding principle was we born out of the racial tensions and provide a great service within all of our communities across the state.

And today in Illinois, 41% of the children that you will serve identify as black.

36 identify as Hispanic.

>> 14% have disabilities.

4 1% are in foster care and 8% are experiencing homelessness without the ability to plan.

Michaela.

What does that mean for for organizations that are sure are if this funding will exist in some time?

it.

Scares us all.

It scares.

Families is cares.

Organizations.

>> We don't know if we're going wake up tomorrow on his side will be gone and they don't have been where to take the children every day.

And folks will be out of a So it is really scary.

Biden is Asians are scared to even step up and say anything.

They're scared to write about it.

Talk about it.

Send people out to, you know, write about Whatever you know, it's really hard to Jay-Z.

know that the service of I received my children were seen could no longer be there for the families in need.

And what would that mean for parents?

Right?

It's one thing for providers, but it's it's another thing for parents to have this uncertainty as well.

>> At if I did not have heart, I would not have been able to go to work for a time like I did.

So it would mean that a lot of parents may be at work.

lot of parents may have to work part-time some parents may not even be able to go to school.

I was able to work, go to school just do what I needed to do for my family.

>> Lori, what are you hearing from your member providers right >> they are worried about their their funding.

There that the chaos uncertainty across the board this impacts are already fragile workforce.

And you know, so that they're worried about attracting and retaining staff to work in our programs because of the chaotic this of the administration.

So you mentioned, the lawsuit that the ACLU has filed, that you all are part of what are you seeking here?

>> So bottom line is to protect our head.

Start early head start programs across the state, protect the funding that Congress has already appropriated.

We feel like it's being slow.

Walked to to dismantling the system.

The closure of the regional offices that 50% of the federal staff are gone and how they going to manage the workload too, support our grants in our contracts across the state and then the whole piece in the lawsuit regarding diversity, equity and inclusion supporting the lifeline that head start provides for for our children and families across the state.

What is the likelihood or how concerned are you about the damage being done by the time a lawsuit is adjudicated?

>> What we're really worried about that.

But we think we're in good hands with the ACLU and the support from all of our state partners from the governor from state agencies.

We think that together we will push things forward and provide support that's needed.

>> And before we go, Mike, you let your kids a bigger now.

They are 8.17 how are they today?

>> I think my children are wonderful.

I got butts and the number one school in the city and state.

Well, it's a pain.

She's a junior and my son is accelerating, really, really well aware.

This school adapted celebrated program for him to be able Sabina 3rd grade classroom.

So he's a second grader, but he's in 3rd grade classroom.

So I'd like thank head start because without head start, I would not have had that push as a parent to make sure that my children were learning the way that they need to learn.

Okay.

That's where we'll have to