South San Francisco, CA May 20, 2020 Submitted by David Burruto, Chief of Staff, SMC Supervisor Dave Pine
San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine
Today, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors approved a grant of $50,750 from Measure K funds to the Boys & Girls Club of North San Mateo County (BGCNSMC) to support an emergency school-aged child care program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Childcare is the cornerstone upon which we will rebuild our local economy that has been devastated by the COVD-19 crisis,” said Supervisor Dave Pine, Co-Chair of San Mateo County’s Child Care Partnership Council and Co-Chair of the Build Up SMC Advisory Body, who championed the grant. “This funding will help support the critical childcare infrastructure we need to reopen our communities.”
School and child care facility closures have made it difficult for individuals who are able to return to work to find child care. As more activities are phased-in as essential or permitted businesses, the availability of child care, particularly for school-aged children, has become even more challenging. This grant is intended to offer a safe, affordable and reliable option for families in South San Francisco and the North county.
“The Boys and Girls Club is ideally positioned to offer this option to workers struggling to find childcare during this emergency, particularly as many childcare providers have shuttered both temporarily and permanently,” said Aubrey Merriman, Executive Director of the BGCNSMC.
The Boys & Girls Club of North San Mateo County has been operating for nearly 70 years and comprises five clubhouses. With this grant, the BGCNSMC will establish an emergency child care operation at its Clubhouse located at Orange Park in the City of South San Francisco. The BGCNSMC will offer child care to up to 60 children in distinct groups of 10 or less. The program will adhere to strict protocols related to cleaning, disinfecting, registration and check-in, and handwashing, among many requirements.
The program will operate for six weeks at a cost of $1,950 per child and will offer spots to qualified families at a cost of $500 per child. Other donors contributing to the program include the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and Broadcom Foundation. The program is scheduled to operate Monday through Friday from 7:30 am – 6:00 pm from May 15 – June 26, 2020. Additional weeks may be added if further financial support is identified.
Measure K is a 20-year extension of the countywide half-cent sales tax passed by local voters in November 2016 to support essential County services and to maintain or replace critical county facilities.
For more information about the Club’s Program, visit https://theclubs.org/programs/