WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – A new statewide campaign looks to highlight additional funding for childcare providers and families.
Governor Kathy Hochul and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand launched the initiative earlier this week. It highlights that eligibility for child care assistance was expanded this month to include families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level and a second round of federal child care provider grants.
Also, as of this month, a family of four earning up to $83,250 is now eligible for child care assistance when previously, the threshold was about $55 thousand or less.
“At least there’s an acknowledgement. There’s a sense of responsibility from government to help lift the burden on families, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but women in the workforce are part of an economic engine that we can no longer have suppressed because that’s what’s been happening,” said Hochul.
“This is direct money to providers so they can stay in business. So they can offer more slots, offer more jobs to more teachers, to early childhood educators. it allows them to expand facilities, it allows them to do whatever they need to get their childcare center up and running,” said Gillibrand.
All child care programs, and more than 900 providers, that were licensed by January 1st of this year can apply for these grant opportunities.
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