The state of Tennessee will offer child care at no cost to all workers deemed essential through June 15.
The state’s Department of Human Services says parents whose children are already in a licensed program can apply here for payment assistance. For school-age children not already enrolled elsewhere, the YMCA and the Boys & Girls Club will provide the child care, with their participating sites listed here for the YMCA, and here for the Boys & Girls Club.
Eligible for help:
- Employees of healthcare entities
- Law enforcement
- First responders
- Corrections officers
- Military
- Activated national guard
- Human and social services workers
- Postal workers
- Transportation employees
- Restaurant workers
- Grocery workers
“This is just one way the YMCA is able to support families, making sure that essential workers can have peace of mind that their children are being cared for in a safe place,” said Jerry Martin, CEO of YMCA of Memphis.
Federal money from the Child Care Development Fund is paying for the service.
To keep daycares afloat, the Department of Human Services has already offered $10 million to ease financial losses created by the pandemic. Some regulations have also been lifted to allow daycares to handle children who are no longer in school.
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