City leaders have a role to play across multiple areas to support residents and their communities. Children and families need opportunities to learn and grow, to be financially stable so they can pay their bills and get ahead, to live a healthy lifestyle and have access to healthcare, and to have safe neighborhoods to call home.

Coronavirus is affecting early childcare providers. Whether mass closures of businesses and organizations affecting the small business providers themselves or by creating extra challenges for the crucial, essential workers who require quality, reliable care for their children. Municipal leaders can support childcare providers and the workers who depend on them.

Before this pandemic, 40% of Americans could not cover a $400 emergency. Pay cuts and job losses without a social safety net will hinder residents from taking the necessary precautions, including staying home when sick or even purchasing extra groceries. Meanwhile, bills continue to pile up. When an employer closes its doors, leaving employees without a paycheck, the financial and social burden falls disproportionately on single parent households and people of color, who are more likely to earn hourly wages. City leaders can take steps to prevent further financial instability for families during this unprecedented time.

Regardless of formal authority over school systems, elected and appointed officials have tremendous influence and relationships to deploy to uplift education and access during the pandemic.

Facing COVID-19, local leaders play a critical role to help residents in their communities navigate to safe health services.

Municipal leaders have an opportunity to promote connecting children and families to the outdoors and nature during the pandemic.