$20 million in grants available to help LA County childcare providers
The grant program aims to provide economic relief to more than 500 licensed childcare providers.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- There is up to $20 million in grant money available to childcare providers struggling to keep their doors open.
The Los Angeles County Childcare Providers Recovery, or CPR grant program aims to provide economic relief to more than 500 licensed childcare providers.
"As a result of COVID, L.A. County alone lost 1800 licensed childcare providers, well before COVID, we didn't have enough seats for all the children," said Supervisor Holly Mitchell. "And so creating an opportunity to help these small businesses, these community-based small businesses recover economically, was a really important thing for us to do."
Licensed family childcare homes are eligible to receive up to $30,000 and licensed childcare centers are eligible for up to $80,000.
The deadline to apply has been extended to Feb. 28.
Betty Luckette, founder of From the Heart preschool in Inglewood, said the application process took her las than a minute.
"This will be very important," Luckette said. "There are so many upgrades that need to be made. I'd like to continue to provide quality childcare and this money will help me continue to do that."
According to the California childcare resource and referral network, the number of licensed childcare facilities in the state has been steadily decreasing since at least 2010. Mitchell said as a single parent herself, she has an appreciation for the importance of childcare.
"I understood and continue to understand how important childcare is to everyone's ability to go to work, to school, to provide for our families," Mitchell said.
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