NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — PACE Head Start serves 264 families across the Greater New Bedford area, but if the government shutdown continues into next week, parents could start seeing its effects as soon as Monday.

"They're going to have to cut the bus routes to save the money," explained Donna Doyon, a parent whose children attend the program.

Michelle Haimowitz, the executive director of the Massachusetts Head Start Association, said New Bedford is one of six agencies that receives 80% of its funding from the federal government. She said the federal grants that are supposed to go to Head Start programs across the country on Nov. 1 won't be distributed if the shutdown persists.

"Those six agencies won't be operating with any federal funding come Monday," she said.

Haimowitz said PACE

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