Borderland families can qualify for free childcare for a year
EL PASO, Texas -- If you work in a service industry such as retail, food, hotel, recreation, art, or entertainment - you may qualify for free child care for a year. Service Industry Recovery funding, or SIR, is increasing in our area due to more money coming from the federal Cares Act and the Texas Workforce Commission.
Sharmane Delgado-Payne, family services director at Workforce Solutions Borderplex, said the SIR funding "is purposely intended [so] that there are not many requirements." But there are some requirements you'll have to meet if you want to get the funding.
Depending on your income and family size, if you are at or below a certain level, you will likely qualify for free child care. A family of 2 would have to make less than $43,549/year, whereas a family of 6 would have to make less than $84,537/year.
Other requirements are that the child must under 13, or under 19 is they have a disability. Parents must be a U.S. citizen or have legal immigration status, and the parent must work 25 hours in a single parent home or 50 hours if both parents work.
Delgado-Payne emphasized that they have plenty of money to help parents with child care, but that those who need help have to make the first step in applying.
"It's millions of dollars that has been funded into our specific region, and it's really important because our region is built on those type of industries."
A full list for other family sizes can be found on the link to the application, as well as all the information about the requirements for this benefit.
