CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- The shutdown of the Monticello Area Community Action Agency Head Start is taking a financial toll on parents who relied on the free governmental childcare program.

Two parents, whose kids were both enrolled in MACAA Head Start, say that the increasing cost of living and the lack of daycare availability in Central Virginia is another stressful situation that MACAA Head Start has put them through. 

“You took a program, that’s supposed to give kids a Head Start in life. You took that away from them and you didn’t really care that this is something these kids depend on,” single mom of four Jessica Thomas said.

“It’s added financial stress,” single mom of two Danielle Hafeez said.

They say that having all these extra costs is not feasible in today’s economy.

“It’s already a terrible economy anyway. And so, it takes like two jobs just to make ends meet,” Hafeez said.

“I have four kids, I don’t get SNAP benefits. So, at daycare I have to provide breakfast, lunch, three snacks, and that’s a lot to do,” Thomas said.

Thomas says that she didn’t have to worry about this a month ago when her kids were in MACAA Head Start.

“What hurts me is the extra cost of me having to provide meals when I’m already struggling to do that as a parent,” Thomas said.

“When they are in the Head Start program, I don’t have to provide any of that stuff,” Thomas said.

In a release sent out to parents on April 5, the Head Start center in Louisa County is permanently shut down, while the Hollymead, Greer and Park Street centers will open “as soon as they can recruit and hire qualified staff.”

Without MACAA Head Start, families are left struggling to find ways to afford other childcare in Central Virginia that won’t break the bank.

“Daycare is hard to get into. And it’s a lot of waiting lists and it’s very expensive. And even if you do get assistance, you’re still paying a good chunk of it,” Hafeez said.

And finding ones that aren’t already full isn’t easy.

“Childcare is also hard to find. My daughter was on the waiting list for one of the daycares for like two years. And I still haven’t gotten her a response back if she made it to the top of the list or not,” Hafeez said.

“So, if she didn’t get that spot in the school, I would have no childcare. So like Jess said, I would be completely screwed,” said Hafeez.

Hafeez and Thomas say that they’re just trying to provide a better life for their kids. And they thought MACAA Head Start would help them with that.

“For me, I want my kids to have better than what I had. You know, I want them to have access to a better education. Unfortunately, I don’t make a lot of money. I don’t’ have a lot of good resources. And I feel like when your children are in programs like this, it teaches them things that as a single parent, I’m not able to do. I need that support,” Thomas said.

But, both women say that after this chaos, they won’t send their kids back, regardless of the financial strain it puts on them.

“They took a real resource away from families,” Thomas said.