Allegheny County Child Care Matters Program Receives $500,000 Investment
Allegheny County will allot $500,000 in additional funding to make child care more affordable for lower-income families, Allegheny County Executive Sarah Innamorato announced on January 10, 2024.
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The investment, paid for using available American Rescue Plan funds, will go toward Allegheny Child Care Matters, a county-level pilot program for working families.
The program is focused on supporting children’s equitable access to stable, quality child care while allowing working families to maintain or increase their participation in the workforce. Families that meet the Child Care Works (CCW) subsidy eligibility requirements for work or education hours but earn more than the 200% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (the CCW maximum), while still being under 300%, can participate.
The Allegheny County Department of Children’s Initiatives (DCI), in partnership with the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5, launched the pilot program in April 2022. The $500,000 in county funding will clear the program’s current waitlist of 28 families and open up some additional slots. Since its inception, the Allegheny Child Care Matters program has helped 357 families attend local early learning programs.
DCI estimates that up 15,000 children in Allegheny County could qualify for the program, according to a press release issued by Innamorato’s office.
Families with questions about the program can call the ELRC Region 5 at 412.350.3577 or 1.888.340.3572.