How NJ is helping child care providers in Year 3 of the pandemic

The New Jersey Department of Social Services offers two options for child care providers to apply for grants to help pay for operational expenses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Murphy administration has focused on child care and has helped families and providers access quality and affordable child care since day one of the pandemic, the Deputy Commissioner of Social Services said Elisa Neira.

Child care is essential for economic development, but during the pandemic it became a major concern, she added. Without child care, people cannot go to work and the economy cannot thrive or recover from the pandemic without it.

One of the plans offered is the stabilization grant funded by the US bailout. This is a stabilization grant intended to help child care providers pay for operational expenses as they continue to navigate during the pandemic.

Neira said the state has so far received good participation from providers to engage in the application process, which can be found by visiting childcarenj.gov.

These grants provide eligible vendors from $ 30,000 to $ 120,000 depending on monthly expense, license capacity and type of vendor.

Neira said the money is intended to be used for salaries and employee benefits, insurance, rent, mortgage, utilities, cleaning and disinfection, professional development related to health and security, mental services and other expenses necessary to stay open and operational.

Eligible suppliers have until April 30 to apply. To be eligible for the NJ ARP Stabilization Grant, which will be paid in two installments, suppliers must be licensed in New Jersey. They must comply with federal requirements and be in good standing with state and local health and safety regulations. They must also have been open and operational in the state by March 11, 2021.

Registered home child care providers are eligible for $ 4,000 in grants.

The second grant opportunity to help child care providers is the $ 1,000 Hiring and Retention Bonus program, initiated by the Murphy administration, with the goal of recruiting new workers. daycare and retain staff.

Neira said the bonuses of $ 1,000 were paid to retain employees. Suppliers can continue to apply until January 14. Grants for newly hired employees will be awarded in spring 2022.

A second phase of the $ 1,000 hiring and retention bonus will be available at the end of 2022.

“Affordable, reliable and quality child care is essential for working families. We are committed to doing everything we can to help stabilize and support every segment of child care in New Jersey, â€said Neira.

She also hopes the child care community will take advantage of any opportunity to receive additional funding from US dollars from Rescue Care.