The Stars' mission and that of the entire early care community ramped up during COVID-19. In early April, when businesses closed, many early care and education programs became emergency child care sites so Delaware's essential personnel could work.

Early childhood professionals were required to navigate a new set of safety and health requirements. With Delaware Stars staff no longer allowed in child care sites, supporting programs required responsive and creative thinking. Delaware Stars quickly mobilized to support early childhood professionals virtually with a menu of options, including weekly Zoom calls with technical assistants, webinars, and other resources to share step-by-step instructions for keeping children safe and healthy.

“Had it not been for Stars, I would have not been able to continue operating,” said Tressa Clemow, owner of Lovebug Lane Learning Academy, a large family early care and education program in Wilmington, Delaware. “My technical assistant keeps me in the loop of all the requirements every step of the way, helping me access all the resources, including financial support to keep me open.”

As the state moved through Phase 1 and Phase 2 of reopenings in June, more child care sites opened to the same stringent health screenings and hygiene requirements as emergency child care sites.

"The number of programs that chose to adapt their operations to meet all of the updated licensing and health regulations, so they could remain open and serve their children and families, blew me away," said Sheffler. "When we started hearing that the programs that chose to remain open weren’t able to find hand sanitizer, that the touchless thermometers were hard to come by and expensive, we wanted to do our part and be responsive to make sure that Delaware’s early childhood professionals had the supplies that they needed to keep their children, their families, and themselves safe.”

The Stars sprang into action. In addition to assembling more than 600 healthcare kits, about 20 Stars staff members spent several days canvassing the state to deliver the kits in a contactless manner.

"Early childhood professionals are essential personnel in every way – our state wouldn’t function without them," said Sheffler.

“We are so thankful for all that Stars is doing and for thinking of us with the kits,” said Cindy Jones, early childhood professional from Room to Bloom, a family early care and education program in Dover, Delaware. “We know Stars has had to make adjustments during the pandemic so we are especially appreciative of their staff taking the time to put together the bags and delivering them to us.”