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Head Start: county to pursue vendor meals as kitchen relocation funding unavailable; continuation grant and budget changes approved
Summary
EHSD told the board it must vacate its central Head Start kitchen by Sept. 30, 2025 and that federal capital funds are unlikely; county staff will seek vended meal contracts to sustain meals while the board approved a $25.7 million continuation grant application and a related budget revision.
Contra Costa County’s Employment and Human Services Department updated the Board of Supervisors March 25 on Head Start operations, enrollment and a pressing kitchen relocation issue.
Director Marla Stewart and interim bureau chief Scott Thompson told supervisors the department must vacate its long‑running central kitchen by Sept. 30, 2025 after a neighboring agency received state funding for a mental‑health project at the site. Public Works and EHSD reported informal cost estimates of $4–5 million to buy and renovate a replacement facility; Office of Head Start (OHS) staff told county staff federal capital funding is unlikely. EHSD said prior one‑time OHS funds and carryover approval were voided after updated project cost estimates exceeded the earlier allocation.
Because capital funding is not available, EHSD plans to issue a procurement for vended meal services that would supply breakfasts, lunches and snacks to county-operated Head Start centers beginning no later than Sept. 1, 2025. Staff said the procurement will encourage vendors to employ EHSD cooks or drivers where feasible to reduce layoffs; EHSD estimated eight county FTEs could be affected by a kitchen closure and said it is exploring county reassignments and other options.
Separately the board approved a requested budget revision and authorized submission of the annual Head Start continuation grant application for program year 2025–26. The grant application seeks approximately $20.6 million in federal funding and $5.1 million in required non‑federal match to continue the county’s existing slots and partner arrangements; the policy council reviewed and approved the application March 19. The board voted 4-0 to approve the budget revision and to authorize grant submission.
EHSD also reported improved enrollment and attendance metrics: as of February the program reported 98% enrollment in federal Head Start slots (exceeding the 97% target) and 91% enrollment in state slots. Attendance in February averaged 77% and the department is filling vacancies in teaching staff. Staff noted a recent Community Care Licensing visit at a partner site produced citations that are being addressed.
Supervisors asked staff to report back on the vendor procurement terms and on workforce options for affected FTEs. The department said it will encourage bidders to include options to hire EHSD cooks and drivers and that it will continue to pursue county facilities as alternatives while pressing national funders for any available one‑time support.
