EXCERPT FROM: News14.com
By Jennifer Moxley
CONCORD – There is a long list of families across the state waiting for government subsidies to help pay for child care.
Several counties are cutting their child care subsidies to help balance their budgets. In 17 days, 162 children were put on Cabarrus County's waiting list for help.
"It's across the board. We have single parents, we have parents who are both working, who are receiving subsidy and maybe have multiple children. It's children who maybe have special needs or families who have lost jobs and now are in school," said Amy Hatley, who owns All Star Learning Center in Albemarle.
The subsidies also help daycares that are small businesses.
"We receive extra additional funds from other government programs through grants as long as we have a certain amount of subsidized children in our care," said Hatley.
The federal funds attached to the number of children receiving subsidy pay for things like healthier meals.
Ann Benfield, executive director of the Cabarrus Partnership for Children, is concerned subsidy cuts will affect children directly.
"Parents can't get care and then what will the parents do if they have to work or if they have to go to school and there's no more subsidy dollars? It would be the safety of the children," Benfield said.
Benfield said quality child care can be as much as 25 percent of a family's budget. Subsidies help ensure children are in a safe place and have an opportunity to learn. Some daycares have 25 to 50 percent of children receiving subsidy.