Florida Launches Early Learning Recovery Fund to Aid Hurricane-Impacted Child Care Centers
In a united response to the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, The Children’s Movement of Florida and the Florida Chamber Foundation have announced the creation of the 2024 Florida Early Learning Recovery Fund. This initiative is aimed at assisting early learning centers and family child care homes that sustained significant damage from the recent hurricanes, which impacted vast areas across the state.
The consecutive storms took a heavy toll on Florida, with Hurricane Helene striking the Big Bend region as a Category 4 on September 26, 2024, and Hurricane Milton making landfall two weeks later as a Category 3 approximately 150 miles further south on October 9. The extensive flooding and damage have created widespread disruptions, particularly affecting child care services essential for families and communities.
To expedite recovery, the Florida Early Learning Recovery Fund will provide targeted grants to early learning programs that are in critical need, ensuring that families have access to essential services as they rebuild their lives. Working closely with local Early Learning Coalitions, the initiative will prioritize resources for emergency repairs and long-term recovery efforts, supporting centers that offer crucial early education and care.
The program underscores the importance of early learning in Florida’s economic resilience. Accessible child care is vital for allowing parents to return to work and for fostering community recovery, and early education lays the groundwork for workforce development and future economic stability. By strengthening early learning centers, the fund seeks to safeguard both short-term relief and sustained progress for the state’s early education sector.
Donations to support this recovery initiative are being accepted through the Florida Chamber Foundation, offering individuals and organizations a pathway to contribute to this essential cause. The initiative also provides information on additional hurricane recovery grants, loans, and resources available to early learning centers throughout the state.