The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic fallout have affected every part of our lives and caused unspeakable heartache for many families and public service providers here in Suffolk County and across our nation. Municipalities, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and families have struggled to make ends meet, all while adjusting to an entirely new way of life and worrying about the potential for infection.

While we continue to grapple with this fallout, signs of better days are beginning to surface, starting with our federal partner's passage of the American Rescue Act. Suffolk County is set to receive $286.4 million in Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. The Town of Brookhaven alone will receive $55.5 million of this aid, with the Town of Islip following closely behind with $50.8 million.

This federal funding has allowed Suffolk County to roll back cuts that were previously going to take effect this summer that would have affected nonprofits and entities the county contracts with to provide services to residents. The Legislature recently voted to restore hundreds of thousands of dollars for food banks, including Long Island Cares and Island Harvest, nonprofit programs, childcare organizations, and domestic violence support.

Unlike the CARES Act, smaller towns and villages will receive funding based proportionally on population size. These funds are also less restricted than those obtained under the CARES Act and can be used to support performing essential work during the COVID-19 emergency and provide premium pay to those performing critical work.

The plan also allows municipalities to use the funds to make necessary water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure investments. The federal government will reimburse schools and libraries 100 percent of the costs associated with connecting advanced telecommunication and information services and other eligible equipment under the Emergency Connectivity Fund.

When we discuss infrastructure needs in terms of our economic recovery, we often forget that childcare is a critical component to getting our communities back to business. The American Rescue Act allocates $1 billion to state, territorial and tribal governments for emergency assistance to children and families, primarily supporting crisis services.

To aid small businesses in their recovery, the Biden Administration included $7.25 billion in additional dollars to fund the Paycheck Protection Agency. Another provision is the $100 million "Community Navigator Pilot Program" established to support organizations and businesses that work to direct and increase awareness of programs within the Small Business Administration. The program will prioritize women, minority, and veteran-owned businesses, as these groups have been disproportionately impacted by job loss or wage reduction during the pandemic.

While this is just a snapshot of some of the more significant items included in this historic measure, other components will support the arts, our veterans, and the senior population, as well as our continued fight to stem the spread of COVID-19 through increased testing and vaccination efforts. I am incredibly proud that we were able to restore funding for so many organizations here in Patchogue. I look forward to all that we will accomplish in the next two years as we work to build back better and stronger.