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A resolution recognizing May 6, 2022 as Provider Appreciation Day in Nashville and Davidson County.
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WHEREAS, Provider Appreciation Day is celebrated the Friday before Mother's Day every year to recognize child care providers, teachers, and other educators of young children everywhere; and
WHEREAS, Provider Appreciation Day was started in 1996 by a group of volunteers in New Jersey who saw the need to recognize the tireless efforts of providers who care for children of working parents; and
WHEREAS, over half the children under the age of six nationwide are estimated to spend some time in a nonparental care arrangement on a weekly basis; and
WHEREAS, child care providers offer critical enrichment opportunities, nurture development for children of all backgrounds, and are a vital building block of our economy; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic created tremendous hardship for child care providers and the families of Nashville who depend on them. Providers have continued to meet the needs of families during this difficult time while risking their health and financial stability in order to remain open; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council recognizes these hardships and supported much-needed relief to providers to help sustain the viability of child care by approving Resolution No. RS2022-1450 on April 5, 2022 which appropriated $7,519,000 to increase access to child care centers, provide more resources to home based child care, and build up high-quality child care programs; and
WHEREAS, our future depends on the quality of early childhood experiences provided to young children today, and support for high-quality child care represents a worthy commitment to our children's future; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the Metropolitan Council acknowledges Provider Appreciation Day and amplifies Nashville's collective gratitude for those who support the social, emotional, and physical care of our youngest children.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLV...
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