Education
Growing Seeds Learning Community has cared for thousands of young children in Portland since it opened its doors in 2004. Earlier this year, Growing Seeds North, the child care center's largest outpost, was welcoming 160 students a day. That changed on March 23 when Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued a statewide stay home order in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.
A little over a month ago, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown gave child care centers a choice: continue to operate with a focus on the children of "essential workers," or shut your doors. Nearly half closed.
"Child care businesses operate on razor-thin margins, and without significant support many of them won't make it to the other side of the pandemic," said U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Beaverton.
Even with the downsizing, CEO Jarod Hobbs, Dory's husband, estimates Atlas can only hold on until mid-June, and that's if current enrollment holds steady. He's hoping that financial relief will arrive in the form of a federal loan or a $50 billion stimulus child care relief package backed by NAEYC and some members of Congress, including Oregon Rep. Suzanne Bonamici and Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden. The lawmakers, along with child care providers, will hold a press briefing via Zoom on Thursday to tout the stimulus proposal.
SALEM, OR (KPTV) - Gov. Kate Brown on Thursday evening announced that she will extend orders to keep daycares in Oregon closed, unless facilities are approved as emergency childcare services.
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici said she's calling for $50 billion for providers, families and child care workers in the next coronavirus response package.
Momentum is building for a proposed $50 billion stimulus package for the nation's child care industry.
Proposed by advocacy groups including the National Association for the Education of Young Children in late March, members of Congress are signing on to back the measure, including Oregon Rep. Suzanne Bonamici and Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden.
EUGENE, Ore. -- Financial help could soon be on its way for child care workers in the form of $50 billion.
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, Sen. Jeff Merkley, and Sen. Ron Wyden called on leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives to provide $50 billion to support the already-struggling child care sector in the next coronavirus pandemic response package.
