Summary

The King County Council on Tuesday approved the final $46.7 million of emergency Federal funding to support the local response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including funds to improve pandemic safety in select childcare centers across King County.

Story

The King County Council on Tuesday approved the final $46.7 million of emergency Federal funding to support the local response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including funds to improve pandemic safety in select childcare centers across King County.

“The pandemic has devastated families in many ways, including by making our shortage of quality childcare far worse,” said King County Council Chair Claudia Balducci. “This has a disproportionate impact: People of color are more likely to be essential workers who need childcare while they provide many critical services we all need. Women are more likely to have to take on extra duties of childcare and at-home learning and are seeing themselves forced out of the workforce in alarming numbers. I want to thank my colleagues on the County Council for supporting my proposal to keep quality childcare afloat during these challenging times. With the additional funding the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club of King County and Bellevue will be able to continue to provide a safe, nurturing place for children to play and learn.”

The fifth emergency supplemental budget includes the Balducci’s request for $1 million to support the YMCA of Greater Seattle, Boys and Girls Club of King County, and Boys and Girls Club of Bellevue for supplies to keep children safe as the organizations provide high quality childcare. This funding will help those organizations pay for critical supplies and COVID-19 safety upgrades, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and facility safety improvements.