With the government shutdown stretching into its fourth week, several parents said they’re worried the Hidalgo County Head Start Program is at risk.

“It is going to affect us tremendously, we rely heavily on these programs,” Ana Maldonado — a parent at the Head Start Academy — said.

Maldonado said she has a 4-year-old son with autism, and the Head Start Program has been beneficial for him. Maldonado's child is one of nearly 2,500 children enrolled in the Hidalgo County Head Start Program, which relies on federal funding to operate.

According to Melissa Juarez, the communications coordinator for the Hidalgo County Head Start Program, services would be affected if the government doesn’t reopen.

“That means that services for children are going to cease,” Juarez said. “There is not going t

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