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Islanders eligible for new County fund for child care resources

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber - 9/1/2021

By Jenna Dennison

The King County Council has recently allocated $1 million in funds for child care resources for rural communities such as Vashon.

The funds, part of a $7 million package of federal support from the American Rescue Plan Act, are administered through Child Care Resources in partnership with King County.

According to Lan Nguyen, Senior Policy Advisor from Councilmember Joe McDermott's office, this was the seventh emergency COVID budget passed by the council.

"The Executive [Dow Constantine] proposed $6 million for child care vouchers, available to residents across the county," said Nguyen. "However, when Councilmember Kohl-Welles, the Chair of the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee, released her striker, this amount was increased to $7 million and the requirement for at least $1 million of the total be expended to provide vouchers in rural areas."

In order to receive assistance, families must meet all the following criteria: those interested in receiving support must live or work within King County and have children needing care between birth to 12 years, 11 months. Alternatively, children between the ages of 13 years to 17 years, 11 months who have special needs or a disability are eligible as well. In addition, if any time during the past year a family's income, work hours, child's health or well-being has been negatively impacted, and if they have an income below 80% of the Area Median Income, they are qualified for the program.

For those interested in the program, there are several different ways to apply. Online applications are available at bit.ly/KingCCFA, or people can call the Child Care Aware of Washington Family Center at 1-800-446-114. The center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and can assist with interpreter services in multiple languages.