New childcare solutions: Groups working to fill gaps as parents return to work

It's the issue on parent's minds as they begin to return to work.

Who will safely be able to take care of the kids.

Thousands of child care centers are at risk of going broke.

Amanda Brandeis shows us how some groups are working to fill the gaps.

THOUSANDS OF CHILD CARE CENTERSARE AT RISK OF GOING BROKEDURING THIS PANDEMIC.WHICH HAS MANY PARENTS... WHOARE RETURNING TO WORKWONDERING... WHO'SGOING TO WATCH THEIR KIDS?AMANDA BRANDEIS SHOWS US HOWSOME GROUPS ARE WORKING TO FILLTHE GAPS.DAY CARES TRYING TO SERVE THEIRFAMILIES FACE AN UPHILL BATTLE.KATIE HAMM, VP OF EARLYCHILDHOOD POLICY AT CENTER FORAMERICAN PROGRESS4:00 "A LOT OF CHILDCAREPROVIDERS CAN'T AFFORD TO GO AFEW WEEKS OR A FEW MONTHSWITHOUTREVENUE AND THEY CERTAINLY CAN'TAFFORD TO OPERATE WITH FEWERCHILDREN AND LESS REVENUE COMINGIN.ADD INTO T5HE MIX HIGHEREXPENSES FROM NEW SANITATIONPERSONAL PROTECTIVE GEARREQUIREMENTS.KATIE HAMM WANTS TO SEE THEGOVERNMENT MAKE INVESTMENTS INTOEARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS. 11:16"CHILDCARE WAS IN CRISIS BEFORETHE PANDEMIC, I THINK IN QUIETCRISIS, NOW IT'S FRONT ANDCENTER FOR A LOT OF AMERICANS."SHE SAYS MANY PROGRAMS WEREBARELY MAKING ENDS MEET BEFORETHE PANDEMIC.

AND THAT HALFOF AMERICANS LIVE IN CHILD-CAREDESERTS.

THAT IS, NEIGHBORHOODSWHERE THERE'S SIMPLY TOOFEW CHILD CARE OPTIONS FOR ALLTHE KIDS WHO NEED IT.

JULIECELEBI, FAMILY DOCTOR4:46 "WE WORK LONG HOURS ANDTHEY CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE, BEINGABLE TO HAVE SAFE, ADEQUATE,AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE WAS JUSTNOT AN OPTION AS A PRIMARY CAREDOCTOR." AS DR. JULIE CELEBIRESPONDED TO THE COVID- 19CRISIS IN THE HOSPITAL, SHEFACED ANOTHER ONE ATHOME.5:04 "WHEN I GOT THE CALL THATTHERE WAS A PERSON THAT STEPPEDUP TO PROVIDE THE VOLUNTEERCHILDCARE, I ALMOST CRIED, ITWAS JUST LIKE A WEIGHT HAD BEENLIFTED OFF ME."CHARLIZE DANG, STUDENT AT UC SANDIEGO2:32 "I HAD A LOT MORE FREE TIMEON MY HANDS ."CHARLIZE DANG VOLUNTEERS FORCOVID CHILDCARE, AN ORGANIZATIONCREATED TOCONNECT MEDICAL WORKERS WITHFREE CHILDCARE FROM VOLUNTEERS.JULIA"WE KNEW RIGHT AWAY TALKING TOCHARLIZE SHE WAS GOING TO BEGREAT AND THE CHILDREN LOVEDHER.RYAN CIESLIKOWSKI, FOUNDER OFCOVID CHILDCARE8:04 "A LOT OF HOSPITALS HAVEFURLOUGHED UP TO 70 PERCENT OFSTAFF IN IN SOME CASES,IMPORTANTTHAT ONCE THESE WORKERS COMEBACK TO WORK, AND CHILDCAREFACILITIES STILL CLOSED ANDSTILL NOTSOCIALLY DISTANCED, THAT THEYHAVE AN ALTERNATIVE." STANFORDUNIVERSITY STUDENT RYANCIESLIKOWSKI FOUNDED THEORGANIZATION WITH BRANCHES NOWIN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SEATTLE,AND RENO.ANOTHER SOLUTION.

THE YMCA ALSOSTEPPED UP TO PROVIDE CHILDCAREFOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS.IT'S GOAL IS TO EVENTUALLY HELPTHE GENERAL PUBLIC AS MORE Y'SBEGIN TO REOPEN NATIONWIDE.BUT ADVOCATES SAY THE BESTSOLUTION AS PARENTS GET BACK TOWORK WILL REQUIRE A LOT OF HELPFROM THE GOVERNMENT.KATIE HAMM7:00 "THE CHILDCARE COMMUNITYHAS ASKED FOR AN INVESTMENT OF$50 BILLION, TO STABILIZECHILDCARE, THAT IS ON PAR WITHWHAT OTHER INDUSTRIES HAVE ASKEDFOR."FUNDING WOULD GO TO STATES TOALLOCATE THE MONEY.BUT HAMM SAYS THE INDUSTRY NEEDSA LONG- TERM INVESTMENT TO NOTONLY HELP PARENTS AFFORDCHILDCARE BUT ENSURE WORKERSEARN A LIVABLE WAGE"SO THE NEXT TIME THE COUNTRY ISIN CRISIS THE CHILDCARE SYSTEMCAN SERVE EVERYONE WELL.RATHER THAN A BROKEN SYSTEMTRYING TO SURVIVE."IN SAN DIEGO, I'M AMANDABRANDEIS REPORTING