CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Parents who depend on the Head Start program in Nueces County are growing increasingly frustrated as the program remains closed.
Upbring, the organization now overseeing the program, has yet to provide a firm timeline for when it will reopen, leaving many families struggling to find childcare options.
One parent, who asked to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation, said she has called multiple times for answers but has received little information.
"I think I've called a total of five or six times, I only spoke to one person and got one call back but got no answers," she said.
Since the program shut down on Dec. 31, the single mother has had to cut back on her hours to avoid the high cost of daycare.
"I went to school, I got my license. I’m qualified to work, but it’s just hard to work a twelve-hour shift with no help in between," she said.
Three weeks ago, KRIS6 News reported that Upbring’s website listed 20 vacancies for Head Start positions in Nueces County. As of late January, those positions remain unfilled.
"Y’all knew y’all were taking over. Why did y’all have to wait so long to get the process going?" the parent questioned. "A lot of daycares had to shut down because of this action."
KRIS6 News has been reaching out to Upbring for the past three months regarding concerns over the delay.
"No one’s really giving you a straight answer,. It’s not just you. It’s everybody who calls," she said.
When asked about an expected reopening date, Upbring’s Nueces County Regional Director Sandy Salinas-Deleon said she could not provide one.
"That is information we don’t have right now. Just know that we are working to open our doors as soon as possible," Salinas-Deleon said.
She then directed further questions to Upbring’s communication team. However, when KRIS6 News attempted to contact them, the call went to voicemail.
KRIS6 News also reached out to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which is responsible for conducting inspections required for the program to open. They stated they would provide more information by January 31.
As February approaches, families relying on the Head Start program continue to wait for answers. KRIS6 News will keep you updated.
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