Theresa Mosqueda of Olympia was one of three sponsors of a Seattle City Council program that awarded up to $835 per childcare worker to over 3,500 childcare providers in Seattle. In her regular news to residents
of the city where she serves, Mosqueda said that the money is “an important small step toward recognizing the underpayment and economic instability in this sector.” Based on provider reports, the city estimates that almost 70% of the awardees are BIPOC workers, providing care to over 20,000 children throughout Seattle. It’s well-known that COVID-19 exacerbated problems related to childcare: punishingly expensive for parents, woefully low-paid for providers, lacking reasonable access to capital for facilities. How long it will take to replace the losses and closures experienced during the pandemic, even with this modest help, remains
a question.