More than $250,000 in funding helping Mercer County child care reopen
More than $250,000 in federal funding through the CARES Act will help Mercer County child care providers safely reopen their doors.
The $253,900 will help ensure providers have the resources they need for adequate sanitization and other important safety procedures.
"Like other businesses forced to shut their doors, child care providers have struggled with the economic impact of the pandemic," State Rep. Mark Longietti said. "The fact that they are able to begin reopening is great news for the many families who rely on their services."
"But resuming operations isn't as simple as reopening doors and rehiring staff. New health risks offer special challenges for businesses – particularly those responsible for our children's health. The funding awarded is going to help ensure that when child care centers open their doors, kids will be returning to a sanitary environment with procedures in place to ensure they remain safe."
The funding is part of an initial $51 million round of funding that will go to nearly 7,000 child care centers statewide preparing to reopen
In all, Pennsylvania will receive a total of $106 million in funding to support child care providers.
The second round of funding will be allocated after completion of a study assessing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Pennsylvania's child care providers.
Eligibility for and amount of funding was determined based on the type and size of the provider, the number of active enrollments in Child Care Works subsidized child care, child care capacity and licensure status.
