The parents of about 90 children are scrambling for child care arrangements because Day Care Nite Care Wee Care in Altoona has announced it will close temporarily beginning Saturday.
Without a state budget, day cares aren't receiving their state subsidy money. Jar Nale, who co-owns Day Care Nite Care Wee Care, said his business is owed $47,138 in state funds and can no longer afford to operate.
"Each week that we stay open, we're $6,000 in the hole," Nale said.
About 70 percent of the families at Day Care Nite Care Wee Care are in the state subsidy program.
"Because we serve low- and moderate-income families, it's affecting us first," Nale said. "I'm working without 70 percent of my budget."
At 1, 2 Grow On Child Care and Preschool in Altoona, about 85 percent of families receive subsidy money, Director Amanda Johnson said. She said the center's staff had discussed closing but hasn't made a final decision yet. They've cut three part-time staff, reduced the hours of another part-timer and asked some suppliers to wait for payments.
"We don't want to lose our families or our jobs," Johnson said. "We're trying to push through it and just hope that [the budget] is passed soon."
Nale said he is closing now in the hopes of reopening when the budget is passed. He can't pay both his staff and the rent, so he's opting for layoffs. Even when the budget is passed, Nale said, centers have been told they won't receive funds for 30 days.
"If I can't keep the lease, I risk not being able to reopen ever," Nale said. "Based on the information given to me by the legislators' offices, I don't expect it to happen soon."
Still, he said, there's no guarantee that the staff or families will return to the center if he does reopen because they will probably find care elsewhere.
Star Molliver of Roaring Spring has been taking her three children to the center for three years. Next week, she'll work 20 hours, instead of her usual 40, at J.C. Penney Co. because she's a single mother and doesn't have child care.
The kids are excited to see their mom more, but Molliver said she's going to have trouble paying her bills.
"I have to explain to them that it's going to be difficult to put food on the table," Molliver, 25, said. "It's devastating. My kids are everything to me."
Ryan Eger of Altoona is in a similar situation. He shares parenting duties for his two sons, Caleb, 2, and Caden, 3 months, with his girlfriend, Sarah Glunt of Tyrone. Eger works full-time at Pyramid Healthcare, and Glunt is a full-time student who works part-time.
The couple has arranged child care for next week, and Glunt's parents are able to watch the boys two days a week after that, but Eger's not sure what they're going to do next.