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Emergency Response: An overview of the Philadelphia Emergency Fund for the Stabilization of Early Education (PEFSEE) program

March 2020 was a precarious time for childcare businesses in Pennsylvania and across the US. In response to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus, Governor Wolf mandated the closure of non-essential businesses, including most childcare programs. With the sudden loss of parent tuition, many programs were at risk of permanent closure.

To help childcare businesses weather this uncertain time, two of the city’s largest philanthropies partnered with Reinvestment Fund, a Philadelphia-based CDFI, to launch the Philadelphia Emergency Fund for the Stabilization of Early Education (PEFSEE) in April 2020.

This report provides an overview of the PEFSEE program and its accomplishments to-date. The report highlights how emergency resources administered through PEFSEE helped stabilize providers, leading to fewer closures, greater staff retention, and less harmful borrowing from credit cards and family savings.

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