CHICAGO – Like many, child care providers are facing financial concerns due to the coronavirus pandemic, but child care providers also provide a unique service: they enable parents and others caring for young children to go to work themselves. State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) wants child care providers across the state to know that help is on the way.
The General Assembly recently approved a budget that creates a Coronavirus Business Interruption Grant Program for child care and day care providers who have had to close or reduce the capacity of their businesses during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“It is vitally important that we help the child care providers who support our children and families every day,” Martwick said. “They provide for our working families, and it’s time for us to show them that we’re there to support them and deliver the funds they need to survive the pandemic.”
Child care centers are one of the types of businesses most affected by the safety precautions set in place to address COVID-19. Until Illinois entered Phase 3 of the reopening plan, child care providers could only operate in a limited capacity to care for children of essential workers.
The grants will be distributed through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity once the program is established and funds are made available. The first step will be the governor signing the budget into law.
