Child-care workers’ awful choice: Shut down, or care for kids they love and put themselves at risk – NJ.com

She’s not a doctor or a nurse, but Jeannette Lopez is a key to beating the coronavirus.

As a home child-care provider, she is one of many who are watching the children of essential workers – health-care heroes who are on the front lines and other courageous soldiers in the workforce who are keeping New Jersey’s limited economy running. But she is struggling. She can’t pay her bills because parents who are now without jobs don’t have the money to pay her, or they’re working from home, so they don’t require her services.

Having fewer children in her care means she earns less subsidized money, which the state allocates to helps low-income parents pay.

At-home providers like Lopez are the only child care allowed to operate during the epidemic, and she so loves the children she cares for that she’s willing to take the financial loss for as long as she can. But even that goodwill comes with a price: By staying open, she is putting herself at risk of contracting the virus. This is the predicament she finds herself in after 20 years of loving and caring for Newark’s kids.

Paul Karr knows Lopez’s value. He is communications director for New Jersey Communities United, a grassroots organization that works with in-home child-care providers on behalf of CWA Local 1037.

“These are the most essential of the essential workers,” Karr said. “They live in low-income communities and they serve low-income communities. Without them, the other essential workers can’t get to work.”

Lopez is allowed up to five children in her home, and with four, she can break even. These days, the number hovers around two. The anxious irony: While putting herself at risk, she can’t afford her own health care. Insurance is too expensive.

And, while she remains open, she has have to abide by state laws that require assistants when attendance hits a certain number.

“I don’t have enough (money) at the end of the day,” said Lopez, owner of Family Affair Childcare. “I need at least four (kids) to pay rent and bills. A lot of us (home-care providers) are struggling.”

There could be help on the way, though. Karr said it’s possible that the state will pay home care providers for contracts they had through April.

Lopez said she hopes that will happen, but she isn’t counting the money until it’s in her bank account. And with the lockdown in place indefinitely, she’ll need help until it’s over and her business goes back to normal.

“The biggest problem is not knowing when this thing is going to be over,” she said.

Meanwhile, Orlene Cummings, another in-home Newark provider, is in the same financial vise, having lost 10 children last month at Future Leader Family Day Care. Her families, some of whom are private pay clients like Lopez, now squirrel away what cash they have because of an uncertain future. Others, she said, are afraid to bring their children because of the virus, while another segment with subsidies are unable to come up with the co-pay for their portion of childcare.

“Everybody is gone,’’ Cummings said. “I understand.’’

With no money coming in, Cummings feels the pinch, but she is not shaken. She’s still open and keeps a normal routine as if the children, ages four months to 5 years old, will walk through the door of her South Ward home. Tajjmah Alford, her assistant, still gets a paycheck that Cummings comes up with from her own savings, a sacrifice she doesn’t mind to retain a great employee.

“I think it’s only fair,’’ said Cummings, whose been in business since 2009.

Alford, a dedicated staff member, is grateful and said she’d work for free even if Cummings had to lay her off.

“It made me feel sad that she had to pay me from her savings, because she worked hard for that money,’’ Alford said. “Regardless, I’m going to be here.”

The duo, however, chooses to be upbeat. They treat every day as a workday, rising at 5 a.m. to exercise. By 7:30 a.m. they’re in place going over lesson plans, reviewing national education standards to keep current. If the parents of her children find another job now, Cummings said she’ll be ready, and more so when the pandemic loosens its grip on the country.

“We must represent that face of optimism,’’ she said. “I won’t have it any other way.”

Most importantly, she’s not afraid to receive children of essential workers. She cautious about it, though, not wanting to take any child, especially if they have symptoms that could be associated with the coronavirus. Fear has forced many of the 1,000 home care providers in the state to close.

But as an enticement for home care provides to care for children of essential workers, Karr said the state has lifted the limit of five children that can be in their home during this emergency. It could put more money in their pockets, but Karr said the number of kids hasn’t been determined. While they remain open, home providers have to abide by state laws that require assistants when attendance goes over five.

Lopez and Cummings, however, haven’t seen any kids come their way and there’s no guarantee that they will.

Whatever happens, both women say they are in this work for life. They love these children, whom they take care of all day, some of them since birth. The nurturing and education, they said, sets the foundation for them to start school.

“This is not babysitting,’’ Cummings said. “This is actual school.”

Even now, they stay in touch, calling the parents and kids to check on them, seeing their bright little faces on Skype.

Cummings’ kids have homework, and she reminds parents of their child’s routine. Snack, lunch, nap time, things her parents don’t normally do when they’re working all day and don’t see their kids until the evening. Lopez does the same as Cummings with video chats, singing her children’s favorite songs or reading a book to them. But Lopez, who said she works paycheck to paycheck, has a decision to make.

Taking on additional kids of essential workers will help pay the bills, but since she doesn’t have health insurance, should she still care for them? The more she thinks about it, the answer is clear.

“My heart will give in and I’ll do it,’’ Lopez said.

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Barry Carter may be reached at bcarter@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

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