$5 Million Proposal to Help San Diego
Essential Workers Access Child Care
The coronavirus pandemic has created a host of challenges for workers in San Diego County, and one of the biggest is child care.
With most schools and daycares closed, essential health care professionals with young children are struggling to find and pay for child care. Many of these workers asked to work extended and off-hours shifts are now forced to stay home during the pandemic to care for their infants and toddlers.
The San Diego Emergency Child Care Task Force — 25 members from the region’s early childhood education, child care, and workforce communities — put forth a proposal last week calling for child care vouchers for essential medical workers and for local school districts to potentially re-open a limited number of care centers.
“We are asking for an investment of $5 million in immediate county emergency funding to provide childcare for 3,000 front line workers for one month,” said Rich Richardson, President and CEO, Child Development Associations (CDA) in a recent 10News San Diego interview.
The proposal follows a San Diego COVID-19 Children’s Fund, administered by CDA in partnership with San Diego For Every Child, offering $575 grants to low-income essential service workers to pay for child care. The fund is also offering $100 grants to families who need financial help to buy food, cleaning supplies and other needed items.
To learn more about the proposal, click here.