Child care advocates across the state are pressuring the Cuomo administration to release federal funds for child care.
In central New York, Assemblyman Al Stirpe said with the start of school, child care is more important than ever.
“We think that it’s an emergency situation right now,” Stirpe said.
That’s why he and other advocates want the state to release $69 million in federal CARES funds for child care.
"Thirty-percent of child care centers haven’t reopened at this point,” Stirpe said. “And with school starting and additional need for at least three days a week for especially elementary kids for child care, these are going to have to open up and hopefully expand some of the other businesses that have opened up.”
Child care advocates say many child care operations are hanging by a thread, operating at reduced capacity, while updating facilities to meet coronavirus protocols. The Cuomo administration, in a statement, said it will deploy the remaining care funds based on changing needs and different phases of the pandemic and economic recovery.
