JEROME H. UNDERWOOD, ABC PRESIDENT & CEO ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE

On January 27, 2025, the Director of the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo entitled "Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs” to take effect at 5:00 p.m. EST on January 28^th.

ABC administers several grants on behalf of the Federal Government which include Head Start, Weatherization, Child Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), the Benefits Project, Providing Real Opportunities With Dedication (PROWD) and the Community Services Block Grant (both funded through New York State). Earlier Tuesday we received another memo from OMB indicating that Head Start will not be impacted by the pause.

We await further clarity from the Federal Government but acknowledge that any such freeze could have a devastating impact on all of ABC’s operations and not just the ones identified above. This means our staff of 300, the over 4,000 people we serve and the numerous vendors we do business with. As we receive further updates, we will keep our staff, customers and the community informed.