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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: September 7, 2005 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. .5-M <br />SUBJECT: Approval of Social Services Request to Utilize Funds Appropriated for Day <br />Care <br />DEPARTMENT: Social Services PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Nancy Coston, ext 2802 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider a request to release appropriated day care funds in the amount of <br />$50,000 to Social Services so that the Department can provide subsidy to additional families on <br />the day care waiting list, <br />BACKGROUND: During the budget deliberations in June 2005, the Board of Commissioners, <br />in recognition of the growing need for affordable childcare for families who live in Orange <br />County, identified $50,000 to provide additional subsidy. In the previous fiscal year, the <br />Commissioners had transferred $100,000 from Social Safety Net Funds to be used for this <br />purpose. The Social Services Board developed a plan for the use of these funds and appointed <br />a day care task force to assist with this effort. The task force represented day care providers, <br />the Orange County Partnership for Young Children, the Social Services Board, Child Care <br />Services Association, the Board of County Commissioners, the County Manager's office and <br />Social Services staff. Last year's funding was used to serve 46 children from the Social <br />Services waiting list, The Commissioners received a full report of the work of the task force in <br />March 2005. <br />In .June, there were 391 unserved Orange County children waiting for subsidy. At this time, <br />Social Services would plan to use these funds to seek matching sponsors in the community. Ar <br />effort to find sponsors was begun late last year and several children were sponsored by the day <br />care providers. These sponsorships resulted in additional funds being available for more <br />children to be served. Social Services plans to use the $50,000 for this purpose and to see if it <br />can generate additional support from the community, Specifically, employers and the faith <br />community would be targeted as potential sponsors. The Social Services Board would monitor <br />the effectiveness of the sponsorship concept and would utilize funds for waiting list clients <br />without sponsors if sponsors cannot be identified.