We are here to help

Hope Starts Here, along with United Way of Southeastern Michigan, the City of Detroit and more than a dozen other partners are showing how Detroiters can come together to meet a crisis head-on

I am a provider that is:

Open for Essential Workers

Up-to-date information to ensure you have the resources and information you need to continue operating.

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Willing to Re-Open

Learn the process to re-open your center to serve the children of essential workers. This includes guidance from LARA and resources for financial relief.

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Currently Closed

As executive orders transition we want to make sure you stay informed so you are able to re-open when you are comfortable. View updates here.

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Are you an essential worker looking for childcare?

Complete the form here to receive a referral to a childcare center currently open and serving the children of essential workers. Note: Normal childcare fees will apply.

Submit a Request

Child Care Relief Fund

We have worked to assemble all the up to date information for the Child Care Relief Fund. View details, links and upcoming webinars here.

Read More Here

Hope Starts with You.

Learn more about Hope Starts Here

Hope Starts Here, along with the city of Detroit Mayor's Office, United Way of Southeastern Michigan and more than a dozen other partners are showing how Detroiters can come together to meet a crisis head-on​. These collective partners are fully committed to ensuring that families and caregivers have the resources they need to support our youngest children. According to Michigan’s Governor Whitmer, essential workers are individuals “who are necessary to sustain or protect life.” Immediately, healthcare, public health, law enforcement, first responders, grocers, and their employees come to mind. A group that generally doesn’t make the top of this list are early childcare providers without whom healthcare, law enforcement, and others with young children would be unable to perform critical life sustaining services for our community. As early childcare providers, you are essential, and we know there is an evolving set of needs to address during this pandemic. We stand ready to help you meet those needs.
Denise SmithImplementation Director, Hope Starts Here
Denise Smith

Ask for Help

In response to the COVID-19 health care emergency, this online support for the childcare provider community is being coordinated as part of the Hope Starts Here (HSH) partnership in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office,   of Detroit, and United Way of Southeastern Michigan.

Sign-Up for 1:1 Office Hours Here

We are Ready

COVID-19 has added a new layer of difficulty to the critical work of early childhood providers. We know there is so much information to process and so much to do. We are here to help you navigate through your to-do list, answer your questions, and direct you to resources that may address your needs. Hope Starts Here (HSH) and the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) have teamed up to provide technical assistance to you.

Schedule 1:1 Office Hours

Use this tool to schedule 1:1 office hours. We can help you: submit grant and loan applications, understand federal and state policy guidance and know what you need to re-open

Book Now

ECIC early learning coaches offer help navigating the resource guide or a specific application process.

Virtual technical assistance and coaches are available for office hours by scheduling a meeting or chat. HSH, ECIC, and its partners, do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice.

Learn more about ECIC and its support to providers through the Detroit Early Learning Coaching Initiative at ecic4kids.org. Find additional information about early childhood in Detroit at hopestartsheredetroit.org

Meet the team

As coaches to Detroit early childcare providers, ECIC is uniquely positioned to offer hands-on support.

Learn More about ECIC
Mike Tighe

Mike Tighe

Melba Project Manager
Jillian Webb

Jillian Webb

DELCI Manager
Dez’arae Adams

Dez’arae Adams

Coach
Lorna Mars

Lorna Mars

Coach
Stephanie Atwood

Stephanie Atwood

Coach
Pattie Skelly

Pattie Skelly

Coach
Kimirah Vincent

Kimirah Vincent

Coach

It Takes a Village

Below you will find resources from partners aiming to support the early childhood education community. Please reach out directly to each organization for further assistance.

Accounting Assistance

Accounting Aid Society

AAS is piloting online methods of tax preparation assistance for previously scheduled clients. As soon as AAS is confident these services may be offered with appropriate security and client privacy, it will scale up in order to serve as many taxpayers as possible. Information and capacity are constantly evolving in the current environment, so please continue to check website for ongoing updates, service offerings, resources and information. 

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Legal Assistance

Legal Aid and Defender Association (LAD

Civil legal services at no cost to clients. LAD provideS civil legal services in the following areas at no cost to individuals qualifying for our assistance: mortgage foreclosure, health insurance and more. LAD is funded by the U. S. Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, the City of Detroit, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Oakland County Bar Foundation, the Ford Fund, and private donations. 

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Health & Wellness

Henry Ford Health Systems Emotional Support Hotline

Comprehensive personalized emotional/mental health care for adults and youths. Care starts with a thorough evaluation with a trained expert, in which information about one’s specific condition, as well as particular concerns and the goals hoping to achieve with treatment.

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Henry Ford: Sandcastles

Bi-weekly peer support groups for youth ages 3-18 and their parent/guardian who have experienced the death of a love one.

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Bills & Utilities

DTE Energy

Consumers Energy and DTE have announced that they will suspend power shutoffs until April for low income and elderly customers. DTE Customers can call (800) 477-4747, Consumers Energy Customers should can find more information here. 

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Wayne Metro CAA Support

Assistance with Housing, Water and Heat bills, and Taxes. Still supporting virtually through this time!

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A Guide for Detroit Child Care Providers to Navigate the Covid-19 Crisis

Download Here

Hope Starts Here and partners worked with an early education expert to breakdown the implications of Covid-19 on the early education community in Detroit.  The document is divided into three sections:

1

A knowledge guide including the most current information on how to:

  • Maintain the financial stability of your program
  • Protect the health of your children, families and staff
  • Support the well-being of your families and community

2

A risk/benefit assessment to help guide your decision of whether to remain open (or re-open) to offer child care to families, prioritizing services to children of critical infrastructure workers.

3

A flow chart to lead you to the resources most relevant for you and your program. The flow chart will take you through three steps that will help you:

  • Inventory short-term revenue and expenses given current conditions
  • Calculate short-term cash flow to meet your needs
  • Seek additional funding as necessary

Sources you can trust.

Browse the resources here to stay up-to-date on credible information relevant for early education providers.

Cleaning Recommendations for US Households with Suspected / Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019. Read More

City of Detroit’s hub for all the resources and information your business needs during the COVID-19 crisis. On this page you will find trainings, loan/grant applications, and opportunities to improve the visibility and viability of your business online. Read More

List and status of Governor Whitmer’s Coronavirus Executive Orders. Read More

Michigan Department Education, Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Labor and Economic Opportunity, and Health and Human Services. Read More

UM Poverty Solutions provides information on how to access various resources aimed at supporting Michiganders through the coronavirus pandemic and related economic slowdown. Read More

Updates for Current CDC Subsidy Providers. Read More

Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) COVID-19 Education, Information and Resources. Read More

Find clarification on how programs can support, when possible, the use of closed Head Start centers as temporary child care centers for medical personnel and essential workers. By law, Head Start funds can only be used to provide Head Start services to eligible children and families. Read More

This guide provides information about the major programs and initiatives that will soon be available from the Small Business Administration (SBA) to address these needs, as well as some additional tax provisions that are outside the scope of SBA. Read More

Apply for Financial Relief

If you have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, you may be eligible for emergency financial help from philanthropy, state government and federal government. Get help paying for food, housing, bills, and more. Learn about stimulus checks and how to apply for three months of Michigan’s Child Care Relief Fund grants.

Federal Tax Day Relief

Federal Tax Day Relief Overview The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced that the federal income tax filing and payment due date is automatically extended from April 15, 2020,

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Child Care Relief Fund

Child Care Relief Fund from the Michigan Department of Education Opens: April 29th View Website Apply Here Download FAQs Sign Up for the Fri, 5/1 Webinar at 1pm Sign Up

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Michigan Unemployment Insurance

Michigan Unemployment Insurance Overview Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-10 to temporarily expand eligibility for unemployment benefits. This executive order is effective immediately and until Tuesday, April 14 at

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Michigan Work Share Program

Michigan Work Share Program Overview Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-10, which expanded Michigan’s Work Share Program (in addition to temporarily expanding eligibility for unemployment benefits, described below). Employers

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SBA – Economic Disaster Relief Loans

SBA – Economic Disaster Relief Loans Overview Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) – Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most

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Made for You

Browse articles collected specifically for early education providers.

Connected Futures Program, DPSCD

Caring for school-age children? A coalition of Detroit businesses and philanthropic organizations announced a plan to place a computer tablet with high-speed LTE internet connectivity, along with technical support, into the hands of every Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) K-12 student before the end of the school year.

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What one study from China tells us about COVID-19 and children

The study looked at information about 2,143 children with COVID-19 infections that were reported to China’s Centers for Disease Control from January 16 to February 8 of this year. Of the infections, about a third were confirmed with a laboratory test for COVID-19. The others were diagnosed based on symptoms and the results of other tests, such as x-rays.

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People Who Are at Higher Risk for Severe Illness

COVID-19 is a new disease and there is limited information regarding risk factors for severe disease. Based on currently available information and clinical expertise, older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

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Childcare Symptoms Monitoring Protocol

Children and staff need to take preventive actions to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses

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Things to Clean and Disinfect in Daycare Environments

Staff should clean and disinfect all areas (e.g., offices, playrooms, cribs, bedding, bathrooms, and common play areas)

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Guidance for Child Care Programs that Remain Open Supplemental Guidance

Includes additional options for screening children upon arrival to ensure that children who have a fever or other signs of illness are not admitted to the facility. The additional options may be useful when personal protective equipment (PPE) is in short supply.

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