Here’s how Bellingham and Whatcom are helping child-care centers during the pandemic
Nearly 30 Whatcom County child-care providers have received grants totaling $700,000 as part of an economic-relief program focusing on the new coronavirus pandemic.
Whatcom Family YMCA received $295,000, which was the largest single grant under information that Whatcom County provided describing its Whatcom ReStart program.
“Many families depend on child care to keep their jobs, pursue educational opportunities and remain self-sufficient,” Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood said in a statement Monday.
“We are grateful to our local child care providers, who have met significant new challenges in recent months and stepped up with creativity and commitment to serving families in our community,” Fleetwood said.
ReStart separated its grants into programs with fewer than 50 children and those with more than 50 children.
Whatcom County, Bellingham and the Opportunity Council reviewed applications and determined eligibility for money that the county and its cities received from the $2.2 trillion CARES Act approved by Congress in March to fight the economic effects of the new coronavirus pandemic.
Whatcom County and its cities received $16.3 million in CARES Act funds and agreed to combine their awards to help local businesses and child-care operators and assist food, housing, homeless and human services.
“I am pleased to see how our different jurisdictions and partners have come together to find working solutions,” Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu said in a statement.
“Through collaboration and pooling of resources, we are maximizing the impact of our modest tools and means, which benefits both the providers and the families they serve. I hope that this experience will serve as a model for future cooperation,” he said.
Among larger child-care providers, both Bellingham Childcare and Learning Center and Semiahmoo Kids Kamp received $25,000; St. Francis/Generations Child Care received $50,000; and Gabriel’s Art Kids, Western Associated Students Child Development Center and The First Bible After School Adventure all received $15,000.
Smaller child-care centers that received grants include MORE Smiles Learning Center in Blaine, which received $50,000; Little Britches Family Childcare in Bellingham, which received $16,000; and The Growing Tree in Blaine and Blue Heron Montessori and Little Star Child Care in Bellingham, which all received $15,000.
