Struggling Child Care Providers Now Have Help Keeping Doors Open

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — As Anne Arundel County begins to reopen, parents are heading back to work. That means somebody has to watch their kids. This isn't usually a problem, but like, many things, coronavirus has thrown a wrench in normal plans.

Child care providers struggled to keep their doors open during the pandemic. According to a report from the Maryland State Department of Education, Anne Arundel County lost 42 percent of its licensed day cares between fiscal year 2018 and July 2020. Those who managed to stay open say their enrollments took nosedives to 58 percent of their pre-coronavirus levels, the report states.

Now, the county looks to help day cares stay in businesses. Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman announced Tuesday that the facilities are eligible for grants of up to $50,000. The money will help child care providers pay their bills, compensate their employees, buy personal protective, sanitize their spaces and transition programs online.

"Few industries are more important to this county’s overall economic health than the childcare industry," Pittman said in a press release. "By providing grants to keep these small businesses operating, we are nurturing young children and allowing their parents to continue their careers through this difficult time."

Pittman's initiative starts with a budget of $3 million. The money comes from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, otherwise known as the CARES Act. Congress passed this stimulus package in March to help local governments and businesses survive the economic downturn caused by coronavirus.

The county executive partnered with the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation to bring these grants to life. When choosing grant awardees, the corporation will give priority to child care centers that serve low-income communities, younger kids, children with special needs and neighborhoods with a shortage of day cares.

The corporation is still developing an online application, which should open in early October. In the meantime, the corporation will answer questions emailed to grants@aadec.org.

To qualify, applicants must:

• Have been open and operating prior to March 13, 2020;
• Be in good standing with the State of Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation;
• Submit a copy of its license issued through the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and a signed W-9 form; and
• Upload a voided company check.

"We’ve heard from many of these businesses that have had to deal with reduced enrollment while trying to meet their standard operating expenses as well as new costs," Ben Birge, President and CEO of the corporation, said in the release. "These grants aim to be a bridge so that these providers can continue to be in business and available to serve families when the economy fully reopens."

The Economy

Gov. Larry Hogan gave counties further liberty to increase business volumes on Friday. Whenever local governments second his move, restaurants can increase their capacities to 75 percent. They were previously limited to half capacity.

When Pittman permits, retail stores and houses of worship can operate at a 75 percent capacity, Hogan says. They are currently capped at half their usual crowd size.

Outdoor venues also have the governor's approval to host crowds of up to 250 people. Jurisdictions must okay these measures before business can further reopen. The county executive has not yet indicated interest in any of these motions, however.

“I want to remind the people of Maryland that moving into stage 3 does not mean that this crisis is behind us," Hogan said in his Sept. 1 announcement that jurisdictions can further reopen. "We must remain vigilant so we can keep Maryland open for business.”

Marylanders are steadily returning to work as restrictions ease. Since peaking at 10.1 percent in April, the state's unemployment rate has fallen each month.

Now, 6.9 percent of the labor force is out of a job. In comparison, the unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in February, a month before coronavirus shutdowns began.

While Maryland still has a way to go before it reaches its pre-coronavirus economy, the state is still faring better than most of the country. The national unemployment rate sits at 8.4 percent, which is down from its recent high of 14.7 percent in April.

The overall unemployment stats are updated less frequently at the county level. The latest figures show that 21,277 people, or 6.7 percent of Anne Arundel County workers, were without a job in July. That's down 3.1 percent from the county's pandemic-high, which it registered in May.

The number of new unemployment claims are updated each week, offering a more timely overview of county economies. The freshest report comes from the week ending on Sept. 12.

That week, Anne Arundel County tallied 887 first-time unemployment insurance claims. The county's worst stint came during the week of Aril 4, when it saw 10,573 new claims. In comparison, Anne Arundel counted 146 first-time claims in the week of March 5, which was when Hogan declared a state of emergency in response to the state's coronavirus outbreak.

Maryland has added 183,200 jobs since recovery efforts began, said Kelly Schulz, the secretary for the state Department of Commerce. She attributes the economic revival to the $175 million in grants and loans that her department sent to thousands of local businesses.

Safety remains a top priority for Schulz, who said her team has met with 13 different industries to develop safe reopening guidelines. That partnership involved leaders from the tourism, manufacturing, retail, dining and attractions sectors, among others.

The group assembled a list of safety recommendations specific to each field. The suggestions include staggering employees' shifts to minimize potential coronavirus exposure and placing signs and barriers to aid social distancing. These tips are available in Maryland's Back to Business portal.

"We’ve helped them keep their doors open, pay their bills and keep their employees on their payrolls," Schulz said of Maryland business owners. "We have stayed strong during this pandemic, and we will remain vigilant. We are, in fact, keeping Maryland open for business."

Masks are still required in all public places in Maryland where social distancing is not possible. This includes all outdoor and indoor areas like town centers, shops and restaurants.

Hogan reminded residents to continue their coronavirus prevention measures, even around their relatives. People tend to feel safer around their family, but they must still take precautions, Hogan said.

Coronavirus seems to spread quickly at family events. Since the middle of July, 41 percent of coronavirus patients interviewed by contact tracers reported going to family gatherings.

"You think it’s maybe dangerous to go to a restaurant or a bar or some business," Hogan said. "But in fact, the No. 1 thing reported is family gatherings."

RELATED:

• All County Businesses Can Open, But Eateries Can't Expand Seating
• Movie Theaters Cleared To Reopen As Coronavirus Cases Surge
• Anne Arundel Teases Hybrid School Plan At Coronavirus Town Hall
• Schools, Jobs: How Staying In Stage 2 Affects Anne Arundel County
• Movie Theaters, Concert Venues Can Reopen: Hogan's Plan Explained

Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.