If you are a childcare provider and you want to stay open and keep getting paid the first thing you need to do is go to this website and fill out this application ASAP.
At the end of the day Friday you need to close and the state is going to have to potentially sort through and approve or maybe deny thousands of applications by Monday.
For 17 years, Toussent McKenzie has operated Hart 2 Hart Family Day Care in Northeast Baltimore.
“I received an email last week asking if we could keep children for essential employees,” McKenzie said. “I did respond to the email and that was supposed to go to the Governor and I haven’t been contacted other than that.”
She’s one of thousands of daycare providers in Maryland who have to close on Friday.
On the state website there’s a link for locations where essential employees who can find free state run daycares—but when you go there no locations are listed and when we called the number listed as open until 7 pm, at 5 pm we were directed to an voicemail that wasn’t set up.
“It’s going to be hard for me because even now my numbers are down as far as keeping children so it effects my finances.”
McKenzie said all the children she watches have guardians who are essential employees.
In the application that the providers need to have completed by Monday there is a list of things they must do including a thorough cleaning and checking temperatures at the door.
For pay the providers will get a check from the state $250 per child between 3 and 13 years old and $350 check for children between six weeks and 3 years old every two weeks.
This runs up to June 30.
For more info click here.
