TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Starting next month, child care providers from across the state will receive a boost in funding to help with staff shortage and providing consistent services for families.
The Child Care Stabilization Grant began last year and now an additional $13 million will be allocated directly to the child care workforce. Applicants must have been licensed by March 2021. The funds will continue each month until June 2023.
The amounts that each agency will receive depends on provider type and capacity. The YMCA of Southern Arizona's Chief Development Officer Stephanie Mills said they've seen benefits of this funding. She said child care providers need resources for themselves in order to provide adequate care for the kids.
"Organizations from across Tucson saw a huge need for more support so from the staff members needing support, training higher wages, supplies and that’s when all of this grant funding came to kick in, to give them everything they need,” she said.
Over at La Frontera, a local group that aims to support families, they're understaffed. So Adrienne Trees, the director of children's integrated care and therapy services at La Frontera, said the money is going to be used to hire and retain more staff members.
“Hiring more staff will allow us to open a whole new program and serve at lease 7, 8 , 9 more kids," she said. "We currently have 13 and then it pays for over time for the people the morning."
They're looking for more qualified applicants and the application can be found here.
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Tina Giuliano is a reporter for KGUN 9. She is a native Arizonan and grew up in Scottsdale. Tina is passionate about storytelling and is excited to work telling Tucson's stories. Share your story ideas and important issues with Tina by emailing tina.giuliano@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
