Hurricane Irma Fundraiser Underway For Damaged Childcare Facilities

MIAMI — While Miami-Dade school students are heading back to their classrooms on Monday, other children — and their parents — and not as fortunate. A number of childcare facilities were damaged by Hurricane Irma and have been forced to suspend operations, according to non-profit Early Learning Coalition of Miami‐Dade/Monroe.

"The impact of not being able to reopen is far-ranging," organization officials explained. "Childcare is the second biggest obstacle to adults returning to work after a disaster. For most families, not being able to leave their children at a child care facility means not being able to go back to work, and with a significant portion of the workforce making hourly wages, the financial impacts are immense and potentially long-lasting."

The Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade and Monroe (ELC) has set up a fundraising effort to help child care programs open their doors as soon as possible and deal with the stress associated with the storm.

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Damaged childcare facilities in Miami-Dade County include My Little Angels Daycare Center in Homestead and the Excel Kids Academy in Miami Gardens. Excel's playground was destroyed the facility suffered water damage to classroom areas. More than a dozen families served by the center have lost childcare as a result of the hurricane.

To learn more about the fundraising effort or to make a donation click here.

The Early Learning Coalition supports the school readiness of more than 50,000 children ages birth to 12 years old through a variety of prekindergarten and early learning programs, while also encouraging parental involvement.

My Little Angels Daycare Center in Homestead was damaged by Hurricane Irma. Photo courtesy Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade and Monroe.