Madera First5 suspends operations at Family Resource Center due to DOGE cuts
The latest federal funding cuts ordered by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency have caused First5 Madera County to pause all operations at its Family Resource Center, the local organization announced Monday.
“This cut significantly impacts the services offered and, as a result, we regret to inform you that the Family Resource Center’s services will be paused until further notice,” First5 Madera County said. “We will let you know if or when our services return.”
First5, which has centers statewide, provides help to families with children age 5 and under. The organization’s Family Resource Centers provide weekly playgroups for young children, 12 weeks of free preschool, developmental screenings and referrals to other resources for families.
“Unfortunately, this impacts all programming, including Pre-Kindergarten Learners, Little Learners, Play & Learn Groups and (Family Resource Center) on Wheels,” the organization said on its Facebook page.
First5 Madera County’s announcement comes just days after DOGE ordered AmeriCorps — a federal agency focused on “national service and volunteerism,” according to its website — to cancel $400 million in grants. The Washington Post reported Friday that the cuts amount to 41% of AmeriCorp’s budget for this year. The cuts will impact 32,465 Americorps members at over 1,000 organizations, the newspaper reported.
In a statement to the media, Monica Ramirez, executive director of First5 Madera County, said that the Madera Family Resource Center received notice Sunday that three children’s services programs it received federal funding for were included “in the grants being terminated by DOGE effective immediately.” Those programs are Birth and Beyond, the Foster Youth Initiative and Preventing Abuse Through Home Visitation.
“We recognize the impact this has across all the programs and staff, not just in our state, but nationwide,” Ramirez said. “We are devastated that these impactful programs have been terminated so abruptly. Thousands of families, children and foster youth will lose services. This is very disheartening.”
News of the DOGE cuts to AmeriCorps grants prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to release a statement Friday, promising to challenge the funding slashes in court and “accelerate recruitment for the California Service Corps program.”
“The federal government is giving the middle finger to service,” Newsom said. “We will serve them with a lawsuit.”
This story was originally published April 28, 2025 at 5:44 PM.
