COVID Child Care Program

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

The COVID-19 virus has brought many unanticipated challenges in 2020. One of those challenges was school-aged children not returning to school after spring break. The abrupt and unforeseen transition to online schooling had made families, especially those with parents and guardians who were classified as essential workers, struggle to find attainable, affordable childcare services. Certain jobs and industries were classified as essential if their functions were crucial to keeping our community safe, worked in direct contact with the virus, or was essential in providing essential supplies, food, water and housing to the people in our community. Essential workers had to be able to work while making sure their children were being taken care and completing their online schooling during the day. This dilemma greatly impacted our first responders, medical professionals, and many essential working parents. In order to relieve this worry for our essential working parents, the St. Lucie Board of County Commissioners partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs in St. Lucie COunty to provide no-cost childcare services to workers who had no other childcare options and could not sustain the cost of professional childcare services. The program began at the end of spring break week and concluded at the start of the school system’s summer break at the end of May 2020. Space was limited to a maximum of 136 students from kindergarten through 8th grade in order to maintain social distancing and follow CDC guidelines. Parents were required to complete an application indicating their need for this childcare service along with the Boys & Girls Clubs membership form. Each family who applied was reviewed, processed, and approved by the St. Lucie County Human Resources Department which determined and verified their employment eligibility and income threshold. The Boys & Girls Clubs equipped the childcare facility with trained staff, provided aid for virtual learning, meals for students, as well as planned activities scheduled throughout the day. The program was able to provide no-cost childcare to 136 students and provided relief to workers whose job functions are a vital service to our community.