Mason Highlights Child Care Grant Program

GURNEE, Ill. – State Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, is encouraging licensed child care providers that have suffered financial losses during the COVID-19 pandemic to apply for the state’s newly-created Child Care Restoration Grant program.

“For months, child care providers have been operating at reduced capacity to slow the spread of COVID-19. While this safety precaution is necessary, it has caused some child care providers to significantly raise prices just to stay afloat,” said Mason. “As our economy reopens, many families are going to find themselves in need of regular child care again. We had to take action to protect our child care providers and keep tuition costs affordable for parents as they get back to work.”

The Child Care Restoration Grant program is a $270 million initiative being developed by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Department of Human Services. The departments administering the program are asking child care providers that intend to apply for a grant to complete a brief questionnaire at www.research.net/r/ccrgita by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 19. The official application process will become available in July and grants are set to be awarded in August.

“This program will make sure child care providers are able to remain open and accessible to middle and working-class families as our state recovers from this crisis,” continued Mason. “I’m glad to share this relief opportunity with child care providers in our community, and I encourage any provider in need of emergency assistance to apply for a grant through this program.”