In April 2020, Home Grown and its members created the Home-Based Child Care (HBCC) Emergency Fund) with $1.2 million in funding to catalyze the development of regional funds that provide direct financial support to home-based child care (HBCC) providers, including both regulated family child care (FCC) providers and family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) caregivers across the nation. Home Grown partnered with thirteen regional organizations that designed and administered local emergency funds. These organizations secured an additional $2.7 million in matching funds for HBCC providers from 17 local funders. Here we share a summary of our impact, findings, and recommendations.
Responding to COVID-19: HBCC Emergency Fund
Families and child care providers are being squeezed as pandemic-era supports expire and federal funding stalls. Across the country, home-based providers are struggling to stay open amid lower reimbursements and rising costs. Without stronger federal investment in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), tens of thousands of children could lose access to care.
Carmela is a family, friend and neighbor caregiver who is proud of her Hispanic heritage. Learn more about how her Hispanic heritage shapes her work as a HBCC caregiver in this blog.