Bills Would Improve Access to Childcare Industry

SUPPORT FOR A PLAN TO INCREASEFAMILIES ACCESS TO QUALITYCHILDCARE IN MICHIGAN.ITS 1 POINT 4 BILLION DOLLARPLAN...OUR MICHAEL MARTIN HAS MORE...?MICHAL?ETHIS IS A STORY WE HAVE BEENTELLINGYOU ABOUT FOR MONTHSNOW.....FAMILIES FINDING ITDIFFICULT TO FIND OR ACCESSHI GHQUALITY CHILD- CAREPROVIDERS.AND EVEN MORE SODURING THE PANDEMIC WHEREIN MANY CASES, FAMILIES FOUNDTHEMSELVES HAVING TO MAKETHE TOUGH CALL BETWEEN GOING TOWORK OR STAYING HOME TO WATCHTHEIR KIDS...Governor Gretchen Whitmer 13.59"I know that there are so manyparents with young children whocontinueto deal with the challenges ofthe last15 months on top of all theother stressors ofbeing working parents." GOVERNORWHITMER GETTINGA BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR APACAKGE OF BILLS THEY SAY WOULDEXPAND ACCESS TO QUALITY CHILD-CARE FOR FAMILIES ACROSS THESTATE.Jack O'Malley, State Rep 8.54"When I talk with people andfamilesi across the fourcounties I represent,they tell me how difficult it isto findreliable childcare services.Thesae rethe hard working people who aretryingto make a living to pay theirbills and suppor ttheir families, but the caretheir children is unavailable."THE ISSUE OF AVAILABLE CHILD-CARE HAS ONLY WORSENEDTHROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.ACCORDING TO THE STATE, .

WEHAVELOST 47 DAY-CARE CENTERS SINCELAST YEAR.

AND LOST 23I2 N-HOME DAYCARE CENTERS.

GovernorGretchen Whitmer14.35 "On Monday, I announced myplan toinvest 1.4 billion to strengthenourchildcare industry an dtosupport Michiganfamilies.

To make childcare morewidelyavialable.

I propose we offergrants toexpand existing providers andopennew sites, pay providers moremakechild car emore affordable." THEGOVERNOR SAYS THE PLANWILL MAKE AROUND 150-THOUSANDMORE CHILDREN EGLIIBLE FOR LOWOR NO COST CHILD CARE INT HESTATE.

THE PROPOSEDLEGISLATION BEINGSUPPORTED BY MICHAEL EVANS,EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THEKALAMAZOO LITERACY COUNCIL.Michael Evans,E xecutiveDirector,Kalamazoo Literacy Council 1:22"from the perspective of peoplechoosing this as a career, youwan ttoknow that you have a careerthat'ssustainable, that can supportyour family.And that is something that isarelly going toallow for opportunities forprogress andgrowth." FOR NICHOLE BLUM WITHTHE Y-W-C-A ,THE BILLS WOLUD HELP ADDRESSISSUES FACED BY FAMILIES HARDESTHIT BY THE PNADEMIC..

NicholeBlum, Development Manager, YWCA5.16a s we found in thepandemic, it affected everybody,but vulnerablecommunities and families andchildrenexperiencing additional ongoingstressors intheir lives impacte dthem evenmore so.April Goodwin, Southwest ChildCare Resources 8.54 "childcareis lacking because we'reshutting dwon where they can'tafford tostay open." ACCORDING TO ASTYUD BYLENDING-TREE, THE COST OFCHILDCARE INMICHIGAN HASGONE UP A STAGGERING 61 PERCENTSINCE LAST YEAR..LEADING FAMILIES TO SPEND ABOUT16RCPEENT OF THEIR ANNUAL INCOMEONCARE.FOR MORE INFORMATION ONWHAT THIS LEGISLATION PROPOSES,AND WHAT IT ISINTENDED TO DO FOR THE CHILDCAREINDUSTRY, CHECKOUT OUR WEB ARTICLE ATFOX17ONLINE DOT COM.

FRO NOW,LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM, MICHAELMARTIN, FOX 17 NEWS.GOVERNOR WHITMER IS OFFE