Congressman Deluzio Announces $600,000 in Federal Funds to Help Stabilize Childcare Providers in Allegheny County
The Community Funding Project grant has been awarded to the Early Excellence Project, a local non-profit supporting childcare providers across the 17th District
WIKINSBURG, PA – Yesterday, Congressman Deluzio (PA-17) held a press conference at a local childcare provider to announce $600,000 in federal funding to help stabilize and support childcare providers in Allegheny County. Funded by the 2023 Community Project Funding grants awarded by Congress, this money will help a local non-profit, Early Excellence Project (EEP), support early childcare centers to receive the resources and accreditations they need to narrow the opportunity gap. He was joined at the press conference by Wilkinsburg Mayor Dontae Comans, staff from the Early Excellence Project, and childcare providers.
“For so many in Western Pennsylvania, finding affordable and quality childcare isn’t just difficult, it’s impossible,” said Rep. Deluzio. “And if our children are our greatest treasures, then our childcare staff need the resources to help kids learn and grow in safe, supportive, and enriching environments. This funding for Early Excellence Project is a small but important step in the right direction toward investing in our kids, investing in childcare providers, and investing in a brighter future – especially for communities of color in the district.”
“Inadequate access to childcare disproportionately impacts women and Black and Brown people who are often faced with the decision to work or care for their children,” said Dr. DaVonna Shannon Director of Research and Evaluation of The Early Excellence Project. “The Early Excellence Project is pleased to be selected as an organization to receive the support of Congressman Deluzio, as this funding partnership will allow us to expand the scope and the reach of our business sustainability and stabilization for other organizations and childcare sites.”
”Our center is committed to overcoming barriers to providing high-quality childcare,” said Tierra Porter, Director of the Garfield location of Each One Teach One Learning Center. “There, we primarily serve Black and Brown students and make sure they have a safe and healthy environment to play, learn, and grow. EEP’s program has helped us prepare the necessary documentation and make the necessary changes to help our site to qualify for new credentials. We are excited that EEP has received more funding to continue doing this important work.”
“As Mayor, as a Dad, and as a husband, I am excited to keep seeing where the work is going and how it’s growing and helping our community,” said Wilkinsburg Mayor Dontae Comans. “I hope that we can take this announcement and spread this love on Wilkinsburg and across the county.”
According to a new study from the nonprofit ReadyNation and the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission, nearly 60% of residents in the commonwealth live in a “childcare desert,” where there are more than three times as many children as licensed child-care slots. This makes finding affordable and high-quality childcare extremely difficult for many families, leading many to have to choose between work and childcare, an impossible choice for most working families.
The report cites that childcare issues significantly reduce how much time parents can spend at work, costing parents an average of nearly two hours per week of work time and nearly half reporting being late for work, missing days of work, or being distracted at work. These gaps in Pennsylvania's child-care system are leading to an annual economic cost of $2.5 billion in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
Meanwhile, many childcare providers are concerned about pricing out families who are already struggling to afford the high cost of childcare but are also struggling themselves to compete in a competitive labor market and alongside rising rent, utility, and food costs. The report finds that the average childcare teacher in Pennsylvania earns less than $26,000 per year and many rely on SNAP benefits and Medicaid.
Staffing shortages and covering the costs of running a childcare remain enormous issues in Western Pennsylvania, and ones that Congressman Deluzio will continue to try to fight in Congress as a member of the Congressional Dads Caucus committed to supporting families.
Photos and video from the event are available for use by the media here.
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