Some Harris County parents could soon get help with day care costs

Harris County parents who have to go to work may get a break when it comes to child care.

The county is talking about putting millions of dollars in disaster relief funds into child care programs.

Commissioners are trying to decide if they can get $5 million to child care programs.

The money would not create a new program, but rather be given to agencies that already provide child care like the YMCA, United Way and Collaborative for Children.

The money should be made available to those organizations in the next couple of weeks.

The idea is to help low-income families that would not be able to afford care for their kids.

“What we wanted to do with this is move quickly. These people who need child care right now need it quickly. We don’t have time to create a new program. There are organizations who, if they receive these funds, can scale up,” said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.

The money can help up to 5,000 kids in after-school programs.

The organizations have different selection criteria.