HAMBURG, N.Y. (WBEN) – Child care providers are expected to receive a boost from Erie County thanks to $4 million that is being used from CARES Act funding as announced by county officials on Thursday.
Money for the providers will be distributed based on the size of the center. About $3,500 will go towards each family child care centers. Group family centers would receive $5,500 if they have less than 100 children who are in it. Groups with greater than 100 children will receive closer to $7,500.
All told, Erie County announced $25 million for day care providers. $10 million will go towards subsidies for families seeking child care and $11 million for the creation of virtual learning centers throughout the county.
Sherry Phillips, who operates A Leap in Learning in Hamburg, said she was excited to hear about the CARES Act funds going towards local providers, but is disappointed that the figure was not higher.
“We spent about $2,500 a month now in PPE,” Phillips said about her location in the Village of Hamburg. “That $5,500 would cover three centers for one month for PPE…Our payroll now, with less children and because we have a reduced number of children we can keep in ratio, we are paying more in payroll now than we paid when we were at max capacity and working on a waiting list. In order to keep our children and staff and families safe, we don’t allow our parents to come into the facility. We meet them at the door. We take the children and we deliver them to their classroom safely and make sure they’re comfortable and everything is good. I have several staff members running the children back and forth where they need to go in the morning and afternoon which is a big, added expense.”
Phillips said she is not concerned about her day care center shutting down, though she is worried that those struggling may not make it through the pandemic, which will only limit the options that much more.
She also noted that she and other providers are currently working with Congressman Chris Jacobs on grants and expansion of programs. She said there are OCFS grants, such as $15,000 to expand programs to take in school-aged children and $1,600 for extra items, such as play-doh, to accommodate social distancing. However, they ran into issues with those grants.
“When you think about the costs of that, it seems silly, but it really adds up,” she said. “That $1,600 would allow you to purchase some materials and allow you to have that. Unfortunately, a lot of us received the word we were granted those funds and that we were approved, but in the same e-mail it said we don’t have the funds right now and we’ll let you know when those funds come through. We’re looking at a week from now, school starts…we’re knocking down walls and reconfiguring to make new classrooms and have a great space for these school-aged kiddos to come in. All of this money is coming out of my pocket. In these times, there’s not a lot of that extra cash flow floating around. To be able to get those funds from the state would have been amazing.”
Despite the difficult times, Phillips is confident in their preparations, even if this is the most challenging time with a pandemic added to the normal stress associated with a new school year.
“We’re going to roll up our sleeves, hit the pavement hard, and make sure that we give these kiddos everything they need,” she said. “We’re going to do the best we can to assist them in this crazy, hybrid learning time.”