Page 4 - BusinessWest May 26, 2025

FEATURES >>
Mission:
Imperiled
Nicole Blais, CEO of
Holyoke Chicopee
Springfield Head Start
For Nonprofits,
It’s a Time of
Challenge,
High Anxiety
BY GEORGE O’BRIEN
[email protected]
Nicole Blais was troubled when she clicked the link.
Forwarded to her by her the executive director of the
Massachusetts Head Start Assoc., it led to an April 14 U.S.
News & World Report article stating that the Trump admin-
istration was considering an FY 2026 budget that would
zero out funding for Head Start.
Overall, the piece confirmed what Blais, CEO of Holyoke Chicopee
Springfield (HCS) Head Start, already knew about the federal budget and
this $12 billion line item — that a presidential budget is essentially a wish
list, only Congress can allocate federal funding, and Head Start enjoys sup-
port on both sides of the aisle.
But she wasn’t in any mood to be complacent.
Indeed, within days, she had penned an op-ed for area media outlets,
stating, “HCS Head Start is more than just a program; it is a lifeline that
connects families to vital resources. The looming threats of federal funding
“That budget is
just a proposal
that’s sent to
Congress. That
was a good sign,
but we’re still
waiting to see
the budget that
Congress puts
together before
we exhale.”
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