By Pacific Island Times News Staff
The Department of Public Health and Social Services will launch the Project Mawar-rior Child Care Recovery Program on Monday.
The Mawar-rior program, which falls under the Prugråman i Pinilan i Famagu’on Guåhan, will provide grants for hardening Child Care Development Fund-certified childcare facilities for future disasters, natural hazards, flood damages, and disaster losses.
Grants range from $10,000 for relative and in-home child care providers, $200,000 for center-based and school-age child care providers, and $50,000 for family daycare providers.
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said the Mawar-rior program will support more than 150 childcare providers and more than 3,000 children and their families.
"This funding builds resilience–not only among this industry charged with caring for the youngest in our community–but for the economy as a whole," she added.
Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio noted that Typhoon Mawar was the first major disaster to hit the island in over two decades.
The National Weather Service said Mawar won’t be the last for this year.
"While we are still in recovery, we must stay ready to respond,” Tenorio said.
“We encourage CCDF-certified childcare providers to apply and make the investments in their facilities today. Grants may be used for the purchase of generators, water tanks, and window and door shutters. Beyond hardening our facilities, this funding also provides for mental health support for our children and providers and training and professional development related to health and safety.”
All eligible grantees will also receive $1,500 per subsidized child enrolled in their care prior to June. Grants are 100 percent federally funded by the Child Care & Development Fund (through the DPHSS Bureau of Child Care Services.
To apply, download the general guidelines and application beginning Monday, July 17 at 12 p.m. at https://www.investguam.com/geda-grant-programs/. Questionscan be directed to Pinki Lujan at pinki.lujan@investguam.com.
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