An early childcare industry that has long operated on thin financial margins is struggling to survive the pandemic.

Early childhood educators warrant hazard pay and working parents are increasingly caught in a bind. And with important state aid expired, the situation is only worsening.

A recently updated report from Child Care Aware of Missouri surveyed the landscape and included new data that more than 35% of early childhood program providers have closed in the Kansas City area.

“Child care truly is the backbone of the American economy,” the report said. “And in its current state, that backbone is going to break.”

Advocates for early childhood care warn that the ominous prediction levied by the Center for American Progress is still possible: That 4.5 million child care slots nationwide may be permanently lost.

In a pandemic, early child care work is both essential and provided at a risk, and backers say it deserves hazard pay.

The 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, launched by Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, is joining with Turn the Page KC to seed a fund to provide hazard pay. The foundation is donating $30,000 to start the fund. The foundation set up an online donation site here.

“In many ways, early educators are the unsung heroes who have continued operating and educating children so that parents and caregivers, many of whom are essential employees, are able to work during the pandemic,” Marques Fitch, Executive Director of 15 and the Mahomies Foundation said in a statement released by Turn the Page KC.

“We know that early education plays a critical role in helping kids achieve success in school and in life, which is why it remains a key area of focus for the Foundation,” he said.

Early childhood educators earn an average of about $10 an hour, Turn the Page noted, and earn an average salary of $23,490.

“We’ve heard from many providers who have had to reduce staff pay and cut hours in order to make ends meet,” said Turn the Page Executive Director Mike English. “With this fund, we will be able to provide hazard pay to staff at early childhood education centers who have made great sacrifices to continue working during the pandemic to provide high-quality care to Kansas City kids.”

The strain on early education centers may worsen as extra pandemic support from the state has expired, according to the advocacy organization Kids Win Missouri. It shares the concern with Aligned that the damage on the industry will last beyond the pandemic.

The Department of Social Services announced on Wednesday that it was reverting to pre-pandemic support for child care, Kids Win noted.

“We are struggling to understand why the state would end the relief now, especially at a time when the virus is spreading in communities across the state at such a rapid pace,” wrote Brian Schmidt of Kids Win.