The city and county of San Diego announced Friday that $10 million in federal stimulus funding will be directed toward expanding childcare services for workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city will match $5 million in CARES Act funding approved by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors earlier this week for child care.
"Child care and the economy are fundamentally linked. If parents can access child care, they're more likely to enter the workforce and of course, to stay employed," San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer said. "School and child care closures really put an incredible burden on working parents throughout San
Diego County."
Health care workers, first responders, emergency medical services personnel, grocery store staff, and child care providers are among those eligible to receive assistance. Eligibility will be prioritized for at-risk individuals and families with disabilities and special health care needs, Faulconer said.
County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said, "An important part of having people get back to work is ensuring the availability of child care at a time when our schools are closed when grandparents are not the best place for kids to be given their vulnerability because of age, we have to do everything we can to ensure that there are more child care opportunities available for workers as they go back to work."
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