ROBESON COUNTY — Keyshania Edwards was excited to learn about a job opening for a substitute teacher at the Greengrove Head Start in Fairmont.

Her two children, Nova and Nolan, began attending the program in August, so the work would have been convenient for her family. And the extra money would have helped buy food and cover other expenses.

But soon after she submitted her application, Edwards found out interviews for the job were closed until further notice. The reason: Southeastern Community Action Partnership, which operates several Head Start and Early Head Start programs, closed its Green Grove site in Fairmont, along with sites in Lumberton and Shannon, because of the federal government shutdown.

About 134 Head Start programs across the United States closed after they did not rec

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