CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – Federal funding that has kept hundreds of North Carolina day cares afloat since the pandemic runs out on Monday, with many owners saying for months now that they may have to close without it.

To keep those child care centers operating in the immediate future, NC House lawmakers passed a stop-gap bill giving $67 million to help the businesses until a budget is passed.

A group of protesters was in Raleigh on Wednesday trying to convince lawmakers to allot more money for child care. Eight of those protesters were arrested. One of the eight was Emma Biggs, who owns Pathways Preschool Center in Charlotte.

Earlier this month, Biggs said she had been trying to warn state leaders about the chain reaction that losing the funding would cause. She and hundreds of other day cares claim they would have to raise prices, lay off staff or close altogether if the money is not replace. All of that means many families would then lose or not be able to afford child care.

“I’m not going to go out without a fight, period,” Biggs said. “These children are our future constituents, you know, and they deserve the respect. They don’t have a voice to stand up yet but they deserve the respect.”

The state Senate will vote on the $67 million funding bill on Thursday.

Biggs said Wednesday night that she believes the money is “no where near what they need,” but said it is enough to get day cares through “the next few months.” She even added that her arrest this week was worth it.

Child care advocates had been asking the state for $300 million.

Related: ‘A moral issue’: Hundreds of NC day cares could close as COVID-era funding ends

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