COVID-19 Resources for Families and Early Ed Professionals

Our Healthy Kids Bright Futures team has put together this list of resources to help families with young children and early education professionals during the COVID-19 crisis.

Updated July 2, 2020

Child Care

Local

State

National 

Financial Assistance

Food

  • USDA COVID-19 Nationwide Waiver- Allows parents to pick up meals without student( child) being present. Click here for more information.
  • Fresh Harvest Multi-Meal Boxes-starting Thursday, April 30, 2020. Pick up at 3 locations! Ruskin, Smith-Hale, or Ervin 10:00-2:00 p.m. (rain or shine) visit HMC1Food.org to place your order. Please order two days in advance. If you have trouble signing up, please email: pio@hickmanmills.org
  • The Community Food Network will host a free mobile food distribution in Wyandotte County, Kansas at the site of the former Indian Springs Mall ( 4601 State Ave, Kansas City, Ks 66102) on Thursday, April 30, beginning at 10:00 am.

Meal Distribution

Pantries

Metro Lutheran Ministry

Providing increased food pantry assistance to any household, regardless of income, family size, or geography.

  • 722 Reynolds, Kansas City, KS: 8:30 – 11 a.m.
  • 3031 Holmes,  Kansas City, MO: 8:30 – 11 a.m.
  • 1100 NE Vivion, Kansas City, MO: 10 a.m. – noon & 1 – 3 p.m.

The Salvation Army

  • Sack lunches are being handed out to those in need. We are working to ensure that no one goes hungry. Our food pantries have transitioned from client choice to food boxes.
  • The Salvation Army is providing cleaning supplies to people in need, as well as emergency food and financial assistance to families and individuals.
  • Find your local office here.

Crossline Community Outreach

  • Resources Available: Food pantry and sack lunches.
  • Location: 736 Shawnee Ave, Kansas City, KS

Bethel Neighborhood Center

  • Location: 14 S 7th Street, Kansas City, KS
  • Resources Available: Food pantry.  Call 913-371-8218 and set an appointment.

Bridge of Hope Community Church

  • 1925 N 11th Street Kansas City, KS
  • 913-499-6741
  • Sack Lunches- Mon-Sat 11:30-Noon
  • Showers – 9 am-Noon

New Life Family Church

  • 4835 Shawnee Drive Kansas City, KS
  • 913-262-8048

Giving Hope KC

    • 6640 State Avenue Kansas City, KS: Saturday – every week 9 a.m. – noon
    • 913-291-9031

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Women Infant Child Program

Recipes

Internet Service

  • Spectrum has announced that it will provide free internet for 2 months for K-12 and college students affected. Call 1-844-579-3743 to enroll.
  • In response to the public health crisis, AT&T is temporarily:
    • Offering two months of free service to new customers who order access by April 30, 2020. $5/mo or $10/mo thereafter, depending on your speed.
    • Expanding eligibility based on income2 and to households participating in the National School Lunch Program/Head Start and waiving all home internet data overage fees.

Employment Information

Family Support

Parent Self Care

Are you feeling frustrated, upset, confused?

Helpful Articles & Websites

Home Activities For Children

Child Care Aware Family Activities Text CCAKCS to 59925 

Social-Emotional Activities

Conscious Discipline

Literacy

Staying Active

Videos

Early Care and Education Center Staff 

Department for Children and Families Hero Relief Program

  • Provides child care subsidies to eligible health care workers, first responders & other essential workers.

CHILD CARE PROVIDER SUPPORTS:

Supply grants assist with pandemic related expenses.

  • May be used to purchase supplies such as gloves, disinfectants, soap, and other necessary items.
  • Supply- grant amount is based on the size category of the child care license and is intended to cover 3-month’s worth of supplies.
  • Eligible child care providers MUST be currently open and licensed by KDHE.

Sustainability stipends for all KDHE-Licensed child care and relative providers to help pay for ongoing expenses.

  • May be used for operating expenses such as food, supplies, labor, and rent/mortgage payments.
  • Stipend is monthly for up to 6-months, and the amount is based on the size category of the child care license.
  • Eligible child care providers MUST be licensed by KDHE.

Guidelines, FAQs, and Application Information

Interim Facility Guidance 

Reopening Guidance

Financial Support

Additional funding from the federal government will be available to support small businesses – including child care providers – starting Monday, April 27th. These funds will be administered by the Small Business Administration, and you can find support from the Kansas Department of Commerce website.

PAYMENT PROTECTION PROGRAM (PPP):

Under the program, eligible business owners can receive forgivable loans to cover eight weeks of payroll and other expenses. Independent contractors and self-employed individuals are eligible for PPP funding as well.

For more information, including access to an online chat – visit https://www.kansascommerce.gov/covid-19-response/

 

Additional Hero Relief Program Supports-Friday, June 26

On Friday, Governor Laura Kelly, DCF Secretary Laura Howard, and Child Care Aware of Kansas announced additional benefits within the Hero Relief Program to continue to support child care providers impacted by the pandemic. Providers will now be eligible for Revenue Replacement and Health Care and Emergency Worker Support bonuses. The funding for these opportunities is provided by the Kansas Department for Children and Families through the federal CARES Act and is administered by Child Care Aware of Kansas. The information below is all found in an FAQ document linked here. 

What is the Healthcare/Emergency Worker Support Bonus?

  • This one-time bonus is to provide recognition to the child care provider and elevate the importance of ensuring that child care options are available to the health care and emergency workforce in Kansas. Due to the increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 by caring for children of workers (parents/legal guardians) on the frontlines, a bonus acknowledges the additional protective measures needed to ensure a child care provider can meet the demand of a healthy and safe environment. Healthcare workers are defined for this program as hospital and nursing home employees. Emergency workers are defined for this program as fire, law enforcement, and correctional staff. Due to the potential for an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 in caring for children of workers (parents/legal guardians) on the frontlines, a bonus will relieve expenses of additional protective measures put in place to ensure child care providers can meet the demand of new guidelines defining a healthy and safe environment for all children in their care. Some examples of the protective measures include higher costs for additional staffing, the cost of operating for additional hours, or increased use of personal protective equipment, to include cleaning equipment and supplies. (Expenses incurred from April 1, 2020, through October 31, 2020)

The revenue replacement grant opportunity is designed to provide financial assistance to DCF-enrolled child care providers and relative providers who have lost child care subsidy income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • All DCF-enrolled providers will be eligible to receive this payment if they experience a measured decrease in subsidy payments, including school-age programs and Head Start programs. Child care providers who are open or who have closed temporarily are eligible. Relative providers, enrolled as DCF providers, who have remained open are eligible.

For more information and instructions on how to apply, please click here.

Employment 

Professional Development

Classroom Activities

Articles

Opportunities to Advocate

  • Congress needs to hear from you. Take action now to tell your Members of Congress to substantially increase financial support for child care in their COVID-19 response. For additional information click here