Moulton Joined by North Shore CAP Agency Leaders to Call for Answers in the Wake of DOGE Firings to LIHEAP and Head Start Personnel

Salem, Mass. - In the wake of this week's DOGE firings of Boston-based personnel that administer critical services like fuel assistance and early childhood education, Congressman Seth Moulton held a press conference with North Shore community leaders and constituents to shine a light on the real-world impacts of DOGE's reckless actions.

Moulton was joined in Danvers by leaders of North Shore Community Action Programs (NSCAP), Leo Inc., Community Action, Inc., and Action, Inc. Each of these organizations provides essential support and services for vulnerable members of communities across the North Shore. They rely on federally-funded services to do their important work.

This week, DOGE targeted personnel at the federal office in Boston that administers child care and fuel assistance for low-income families in New England. The entire federal staff at the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) was fired as part of the Trump administration's massive cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services. In Massachusetts, about 110,000 households have received LIHEAP assistance during the current heating season.

Congressman Moultonsaid: "These cuts are going to have a major impact on lives right here at home in Massachusetts because so many people depend on this funding every day. There's no rhyme or reason to what Musk and DOGE are doing. The cuts are chaotic, and they're across the board. There are families that can't make it through a Massachusetts winter without the help of LIHEAP. There are families that can't make it through the day without the Medicaid services they rely on. We want answers from the Trump administration. We need to know: what's your plan for ensuring families in Massachusetts aren't left to suffer."

Birgitta S. Damon, CEO of LEO Inc., the Head Start provider for Greater Lynn, spoke about the positive effects of high-quality early education and care, and the cuts to HHS administration of the program that were enacted on Tuesday: "LEO provides essential school readiness supports for 400 at-risk children, identifying and addressing challenges to learning before they enter kindergarten. The recklessness of Tuesday's HHS cuts have left programs without any clear direction for how to move forward with our federal partners."

"Community Action, Inc is grateful for Congressman Moulton's leadership and support of the Head Start and energy programs that the network delivers to thousands of working families in Essex County. His commitment to elevating the important work and also the voices of those assisted by community action programs is critical," said Kerri Sheeran Perry, CEO of Community Action, Inc.

"LIHEAP {Home Energy Assistance Program} is so very important to working families' ability to keep their children warm and gives them more flexibility with their budget. People do not have to choose between heat and groceries. Elders do not have to choose between heat and prescriptions. I'll say it again, the Home Energy Assistance Program is critical in maintaining the health and stability of Massachusetts families," said Laura Meisenhelter, Executive Director of NSCAP.

A recording of the press conference can be found here (please excuse the audio quality issues): https://www.facebook.com/RepMoulton/videos/520616794424580

Speakers included:

North Shore Community Action Programs (NSCAP)

Laura Meisenhelter, Executive Director

North Shore Community Action Programs, Inc. is the designated anti-poverty agency for Beverly, Danvers, Peabody, and Salem. NSCAP provides a range of programs and services in five key areas: Education and Training, Economic Stabilization, Housing and Homelessness Prevention, Energy Services, and Home Care.

Client Speaker: Fr. Mike Otero-Oteroserves as the representative for the low-income community on NSCAP's board of directors. He is the pastor of St. Clare of Assisi in Peabody, a parish within the National Catholic Apostolic Church in the United States. For over 20 years, he has been dedicated to serving the homeless.

Community Action, Inc. (CAI)

Kerri Sheeran Perry; CEO

Community Action, Inc. provides resources and opportunities for individuals, families and communities to overcome poverty. CAI works closely with local farms in the region to increase access to nutritious, locally grown and produced foods.

LEO Inc.

Birgitta S. Damon, CEO

LEO Inc. provides a safety net of services for at-risk, low-income families, stabilizing them for the short term while investing in a long-term, two-generation approach to education that promotes economic independence and family stability. LEO Inc. partners with individuals, children and families in Lynn, Lynnfield, Marblehead, Nahant, Saugus, Swampscott, and Wakefield to increase participation in programs that maximize their potential.

Client Speaker:Aleah Tillotson will speak as a former Head Start parent and current LEO manager. Aleah started her career as a parent volunteer. With the support of LEO tuition assistance, she has earned her CDA, associate's, and bachelor's degrees and is currently working on her master's in social work.

Action, Inc.

Peggy Hegarty-Steck, CEO

Action Inc. offers affordable housing and homelessness prevention, fuel assistance and energy conservation programs, and education and job training. They operation LIHEAP programs in Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester, Essex, Ipswich, Hamilton, Wenham.

Client Speaker:Penelope Hernandez resides in Gloucester with her spouse Alex, two children, cousin, and parents. They worked hard to purchase a two-family home enabling their multigenerational family to have affordable housing in a community they love. The home's oil heat costs and aged heating system were a challenge. Given the cost of housing, like many families they'd depleted their savings in order to purchase the home. The family applied for fuel assistance, qualified, and received monetary assistance for oil heating costs. They also were eligible to get assistance with the home's heating system replacement.