County considers allocating $200,000 toward child care services

Oct. 16—EFFINGHAM — The county is considering two different requests to allocate a combined $200,000 worth of the $400,000 in federal COVID relief funds that have been earmarked for the Effingham County Childcare Research Committee to support their efforts to improve and expand child care services in the county.

The Effingham County Tax and Finance Committee met Thursday for the first time after the county's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Committee was dissolved. The Tax and Finance Committee is now responsible for the future allocation of the county's ARPA funds.

The first request came from Childcare Research Committee Chairman Courtney Yockey, who said the requested funds would go toward helping the village of Dieterich reach its fundraising goal for the day care section of the Wright Family Center in Dieterich.

Dieterich received a Park and Recreational Facility Construction grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, but the grant doesn't cover the day care portion of the facility.

"That grant only helps cover the expenses for the rec center," Yockey said.

Since COVID, construction costs for the center have gone up significantly, creating the need for further funding.

"Due to the current climate in putting out for bid in construction, there is a large cost overrun," Yockey said.

"Working with the Effingham County Childcare Research Committee and looking at our 400,000 earmark for child care programs, we would like to make a recommendation to the Effingham County Board to take 25% of that, $100,000, to go to the Village of Dieterich to help cover that $440,000 cost overrun."

Committee member Heather Mumma asked Yockey how many children the day care would have the capacity to care for.

"It'll open up 50 child care spaces," Yockey replied.

The second request was made by Sasha Althoff, who also spoke on behalf of the Childcare Research Committee. She requested the allocation of $100,000 to go toward a stabilization grant.

"Without child care, people would not be able to work, so we're coming up with a stabilization grant to incentivize child care workers to continue working in the field and encourage new workers to enter the industry," Althoff said.

Althoff claimed the grant would help take the strain off the current workforce and allow the workforce to grow as well.

"In addition to supporting the existing labor force, this program will position providers to reopen closed classrooms, allowing the opportunity for more workers to rejoin the workforce," she said.

The Tax and Finance Committee approved both requests, which will now advance to the Effingham County Board for final decisions.

Nick Taylor can be reached at nick.taylor@effinghamdailynews.com or

by phone at 618-510-9226 or 217-347-7151 ext. 300132.

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