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Davids Visits El Centro to See the Impact of Federal Relief Funding on Child Care Access

June 1, 2021

KANSAS CITY, KS – Today, Representative Sharice Davids visited El Centro, Inc., a community center and bilingual Pre-K academy serving the growing Hispanic community in Wyandotte and Johnson Counties, to listen to their concerns and share the impact of federal relief funds on their facilities and the families they serve.

Organizations like El Centro are critical to the growth and prosperity of our communities, and even at limited capacity they are working hard to support local families. Davids supported both the CARES Act, which provided important funding for El Centro to weather the pandemic last year, and the American Rescue Plan, which has allocated over $347 million in flexible funding for Kansas child care centers to put towards purchasing PPE, retaining staff, and subsidizing costs for low-income families. Both relief packages also included funding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which allowed El Centro and millions of other businesses and organizations to keep their doors open throughout the pandemic.

"Kansas is getting back on track thanks to the historic American Rescue Plan, but recovery takes time, and we need to keep up the momentum on vaccinations and continue getting targeted relief to those who need it," said Davids. "With more child care centers and schools like El Centro staying open thanks to this funding, more Kansas families are able to safely return to work. I was grateful to hear from El Centro's staff today, particularly about the toll this pandemic has taken on educators, and I look forward to continuing to support their essential work however I can."

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Rep. Davids tours El Centro Academy for Children in Kansas City, KS

Additionally, the American Rescue Plan gives families with children a tax cut by expanding the Child Tax Credit and introducing monthly payments, which will start arriving in bank accounts as soon as next month. In a report released last month, Davids announced that over 77% of children in the Third District will benefit from the expanded credit – that's over 150,000 local kids whose families will be receiving additional resources each month to put towards their care. For many of the families who use El Centro's services, this is a critical lifeline that will help them cover costs and ensure their children have opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.

For more information on the American Rescue Plan's impact in the Third District, see here.

Issues:Education