BOSTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $60 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse the Department of Early Childhood Education and Care for steps taken to keep child care centers open during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $60,066,850 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the department for purchasing and distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) and supplies to clean and sanitize facilities to all childcare providers at no cost.
By providing masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, disinfecting wipes and bleach to child care centers, emergency childcare programs were able to remain open to provide priority access for families of emergency personnel, medical staff, and other essential workers between January and December 2021.
“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and our success as a nation.”
FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.
So far, FEMA has provided more than $1.2 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.