ELDORADO — As local hospitals continue to be the front lines of the fight against COVID-19, one local hospital has received a grant to help area healthcare employees with child care for their own children.

Ferrell Hospital recently received the grant to open the free child care center for its employees. Harrisburg Medical Center employees are also able to enroll their children in this temporary service as well.

Partial funding for this emergency childcare grant is through the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network, which received a $500,000 grant through the Illinois Children’s Healthcare foundation. Ferell is one of many hospitals across the state receiving part of this grant through the Critical Access Hospital Network’s Essential Hospital Staff Child Care Support Initiative.

The initiative is reimbursing hospitals that open their own child care centers working in collaboration with another community or religious organization to open the state of emergency child care center. Ferrell Hospital is working with St. Mary’s Catholic Church, which will host the child care center with permission from the Diocese of Belleville. The Eldorado School District is also supporting the center by providing meals and other guidance and support.