Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund have announced the creation of 458 new child care slots. Seven communities, including Wichita, will receive funding to build or renovate multi-purpose community facilities.
The Trust Fund will use nearly $28 million in funding that is coming from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The funding will create new licensed child care slots, provide access to high-speed internet, and house programs for work, education and health care monitoring.
The grants include almost $5 million for the creation of Storytime Village, Inc in Wichita, which will be a literacy-based community center for all ages focused on removing barriers for families to receive quality care and resources. State Senator Oletha Faust-Goudeau of Wichita said in a press release, “The creation of the Storytime Village Literacy Center will strengthen early childhood development and provide families much-needed access to quality care and resources in my community and across Wichita.”
The first round of grants provided over $10 million to community projects in Lawrence, Hays and Emporia. The latest round will include projects in Wichita, Great Bend, Manhattan, Clay Center and Humboldt.
The governor’s budget plan also includes an additional $30 million to continue grant programs that fund the creation of new child care slots.
