ITHACA, N.Y(WENY)--The pandemic has been taking its toll on childcare services and Senator Gillibrand understands this, that is why she visited Downtown Ithaca’s children's center and spoke about a 50 billion dollar bill she proposed to the CDC.

What this fifty billion dollar package would do , it would build the resources we need to have child care at the full level that we would need over the next five months, on average they need 9 billion a month to meet all the child care needs during COVID,” said Gillibrand. 

Senator Gillibrand said that this lack of appreciation and funding for child services is nothing new for New York, they were experiencing a sharp decline in availability and funding pre-COVID; the pandemic has only helped to make things worse. 

“Pre-COVID on average there is one slot for every four kids that  want it and post COVID there is one slot for every eight kids, so you are talking about places across the country and the state that are child care deserts, they don't have enough availability,” said Gillibrand.

Danielle Greene works at downtown Ithaca child care center full time and without childcare services like these, she would not be able to chase her dreams of obtaining a college degree. 

I am a full time employee and a full time student so I have two different reasons why child care is necessary for me,” said Greene. “ To do my school work it would be close to impossible just because my child would need my attention.” 

With child care centers like Ithaca’s Downtown Children's Center, the pandemic almost sent their business into permanent closing but executive Director, Denise Gomber, said the community came together because of that they were able to reopen. 

“We had a lot of local support, grants, local funders, private funders, donors who have helped us or we would not be reopened,” said Gomber.