In the News

U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, said he visited the Geminus Head Start program in Gary Thursday because of the uncertainty it faces as President Donald Trump slashes programs to rein in government spending.

When Trump issued an executive order Jan. 27 freezing federal programs, about 57 Head Start programs nationwide couldn’t access their funding grants.

After a spate of lawsuits and confusion, the White House withdrew the order but some nonprofit groups still said they couldn’t access their funding.

When Jessica Fullilove enrolled her 4-year-old son at Geminus Head Start-St. Mark Early Learning Academy in Glen Park, she expected a strong educational foundation. But the staff went far beyond that.

“[They] actually caught a developmental delay that even the doctor didn’t catch on to right away, so I’m thankful for that,” Fullilove said. “The community resources they give our family make it so we can effectively parent our entire family. My husband and I can work while he’s here getting the education he needs.”

A federal freeze to Head Start programs disrupted the lives of local families that depend on them.

Now that the funding has resumed, some parents in Northwest Indiana want to make sure it remains.

A local family has seen a big difference this year in 4-year-old Chase, who had a developmental delay. His mom told ABC7 his time at the St. Mark's Head Start has done wonders.

U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, and Mayor Eddie Melton visited a Head Start facility on Thursday, where they emphasized the need for the federally funded early childhood education program and vowed to continue to support it.

Both elected officials were joined by Geminus Head Start officials as they toured the St. Mark Early Learning Academy, which serves over 100 children from ages 0 to 5 years old. While touring the building, they learned more about the center's curriculum and interacted with several of the Head Start children and staff.

Geminus, a Regional Care Group member, hosted Congressman Frank Mrvan on Feb. 20 at its Head Start St. Mark Early Learning Academy in Gary, Indiana. Community and educational leaders toured the facility and held a press conference to highlight the invaluable resources that Head Start provides. The national federally funded program has recently found itself in the discussion around government spending.

Changes at the federal level have created uncertainty for early childhood education. But U.S. Representative Frank Mrvan (D-Highland) says government can be more efficient, while still protecting the most vulnerable.

Head Start providers say they were briefly unable to access their funding, during the federal government's funding freeze attempt. Leaders at Indiana's largest Head Start provider, Geminus, say losing funding access would impact thousands of families and employees throughout the state.

Northwest Indiana's representative in Congress is urging the White House to dial back the whirlwind of executive orders issued by Republican President Donald Trump and to rely instead on the normal legislative process to make federal policy changes.

U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, spoke on the floor of the U.S. House Monday to detail what he described as his constituents' "abject frustration" caused by "the administration's incoherent and overreaching executive orders."

Dilylah Johnson, Gabriella Holt and Logan Haskins won the Congressional App Challenge in Indiana’s First Congressional District.

Johnson, Holt and Haskins used Block Code to create their winning application, “Feline Frenzy.” Their app is a game designed to raise awareness about animal shelters and inspire people to adopt pets. Players help a stray cat named Whiskers jump over trash cans to collect points.