Community Action Partnership of Lake County to cease Head Start services

The Community Action Partnership of Lake County will no longer administer Head Start, long one of its flagship programs, starting June 30, the agency announced late Friday.

Head Start is a federally funded program launched in 1964 that promotes school readiness of children under 5 from low-income families through education, health, social and other services.

In a statement, Community Action Partnership board Chairman William McNeely said many factors led to the decision, including issues with transportation, retaining qualified staff, and the global pandemic.

"In short, the Head Start program has been mired by a tidal wave of marketplace changes and business issues which, at this time, could not be overcome," McNeely said in the statement. "Therefore, we are ceasing operations of the Head Start division of our business at the close of the fiscal year."

Calls to Community Action Partnership for details were not immediately returned Friday.

The partnership manages several other programs aimed at helping those at or below poverty level.

"While the Head Start Program facilitated by the Community Action Partnership is ending, the organization, through its many programs, will continue to help people and change lives," McNeely said.