YMCA of Western North Carolina’s Post

Collaboration is indeed inspiring.

At the July AAUW Santa Cruz County Meeting "Let's Talk About Child Care". We brought people together who care about addressing the lack of available child care options in the county.   We learned that there are many substantial funding streams available for subsidized childcare, including options for families that may have been considered high-income just a few years ago. Yet, there are not enough slots in child care centers in the county to accommodate these children. Particularly in the north county.   Now, it's time to turn our discussions into actions that can make a real difference. Here are some key ways you can get involved and help improve childcare in our county:   Families - The best way for families to find the right support is to complete the referral form on the Child Development Resource Center website. https://lnkd.in/ebq55ug4 They can also dial 2-1-1 a toll-free helpline to get assistance. - Encourage families to create or join a supportive community network such as The Circle or organizations at schools.  - Increase awareness about the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program which offers temporary cash aid assistance, nutrition benefits, employment services, and health insurance to eligible families who have children. - If you own a business, support your employees by offering flexibility and childcare assistance. Or encourage your employer to do so. - Donate to organizations such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County. - Get involved by joining the board of a local childcare organization to help shape its mission and initiatives. - Volunteer at Community Bridges, for example, help in the community garden, drive families to appointments or read to children. - Encourage people to consider a career in Early Childhood Education and tell them about opportunities for education grants.  - Spread the word about job opportunities in childcare - Open a new child care facility or support others. Share this information with people in your network who may benefit from it, such as educators, healthcare professionals, or anyone working with families. Spreading the word can help more families access the support they need.   High-quality and accessible child care is essential for keeping California working. Your involvement can make a significant impact. Together, we can create a better future for the children and families of Santa Cruz County. Doreen O'Donovan,  AAUW Santa Cruz County President

The City of St. Louis called on residents to prioritize how Rams Settlement dollars should be used, and the people spoke – loudly! The NUMBER ONE priority for Black residents is free or municipally subsidized childcare for residents. We believe the city should listen to the thousands of residents who voted for early childhood education funding and: WE believe childcare is a CIVIL RIGHT.  WE believe every child and family deserves access to a quality and affordable childcare seat.  WE believe it is unacceptable for a workforce made up of so many women and women of color has been historically and still remains to be overworked, underpaid, and undervalued.  WE believe local, state, and federal government each have a fiscal responsibility to our children starting at birth.  WE believe that regardless of where a family chooses to send their child (community-based, home-based, public schools (which only offer pre-k), etc.), their child deserves access to the resources necessary to run a quality program starting at birth.  WE believe the time to act is NOW. Join us:  https://vqr.vc/SL1kc1Qog #morewemorepower #weoutside

Barry Finegold and Tram T. Nguyen - thank you for representing my neighbors and me here in the Baystate. As a passionate advocate for Massachusetts early education and innovative business, I urge you and your colleagues to approve the $40,218,027 in the House FY25 proposed budget for EEC Admin. IMO - the best business reason for this approval is that portions of this money are budgeted for childcare professionals to receive tuition relief for their own enrolled children. This would be a massive unlock for the industry and progressive business equalizer. Why? Not all providers can afford to offer free or deeply discounted tuition to their employees. Obviously, that puts family and independently-owned childcare centers at a significant disadvantage regarding employee experience and benefits. Solving the child care crisis starts with making child care careers sustainable and desirable (not simply fair or decent). Knowing that careers in child care could unlock tuition savings for their own children, regardless of which licensed provider they worked for, would be a great incentive to start and stay in the profession. In Massachusetts, families dedicate 30% of their household income to child care. Let's start by easing that burden on the working families who make up the frontlines of child care. #nosuchthingasotherpeopleschildren #practicewhatyouteach #takesavillage #massachusettsyouremyhome #wecandothis Neighborhood Villages JVS Boston Massachusetts Business Coalition for Early Childhood Education Maura Healey Office of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

The Center for American Progress (CAP) in its latest report found that more than half of governors are prioritizing investments in childcare and early education in their 2024 state-of-the-state addresses. Now's the time for advocates to seize this momentum and push for more accessible and affordable early care and education for all families! Read more in ACS' Latest News!

Living in Florida is becoming increasingly challenging, especially for single parents. Did you know that a single parent with just one child needs to make over $77,000 annually just to survive? This stark reality is compounded by the extremely high cost of childcare, which exceeds $9,000 a year for one child. Families are faced with impossible choices every month. Do they pay for rent, transportation, food, or childcare? The pressure on parents is immense, and the impact on children is profoundly unfair. No child should experience the trauma of financial instability. We must advocate for making living in Florida affordable for everyone. Working families are bearing the brunt of this crisis. They often earn too much to qualify for any assistance but not enough to make ends meet. It's time for a change. Let's come together to support policies that ensure a living wage for all Floridians, making our state a place where every family can thrive. #LivingWage #AffordableLiving #SupportWorkingFamilies #FloridaEconomy #ChildcareCosts #Advocacy

We’re proud to be members of the Disabled Children’s Partnership, a coalition of 120 organisations that campaigns for better support for disabled children and their families. Childcare has been in the news a lot recently, including with the government’s plans to expand free childcare in the early years. But we know there is a particular lack of appropriate childcare for families with disabled children. Research from Coram found that fewer than one in five councils have sufficient childcare for disabled children. Can you help us, with the DCP, paint an accurate and up to date picture of the current childcare situation for disabled children and their families by completing their new survey? The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete. https://ow.ly/YfYK50QJfXn #DCPChildcare #childcare #disability #parentcarers

"Early identification and intervention are life-changing. With the right support, early childhood educators can identify and assist children with early developmental differences and create environments that support them and their families to thrive in the long term," writes Jay Weatherill, CEO of Thrive by Five, in the WAtoday. "The NDIS is one of the greatest pieces of social policy we have seen in Australia since Medicare. When I was premier of South Australia, I was proud that our state was the first launch site for the NDIS, beginning with support for young children with disability. But as policymakers are increasingly recognising, the NDIS is not the answer to everything. All the institutions people come into contact with during their lives – from childcare centres to schools, hospitals and housing services – have a role in supporting people with disability. Providing that support right from the start is key to setting kids up for a happy and fulfilling life. All children deserve support to thrive, right from the very start of their lives. Investing in early childhood education is the key." Read Jay's full op-ed here: https://lnkd.in/eqymzdq6

We have a childcare crisis in America - if you want to be part of the solution to fix that, read below and let's collaborate. Reach out to me at info@lovingarmsenterprises.com. #childcareprofessional #stratigizer #businesscoaching #blackentrepreneurship #dare2dream

#ResourceSpotlight: There are so many more incredible resources to share for Maine kinship families now that we have expanded our support into Cumberland County, Maine, following our expansion into York County last year! The Maine Kinship Family Resource Guide, created by Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine, Inc. & The Kinship Program, takes an in-depth look at kinship care in Maine and can assist families by providing much-needed information, support, and guidance. It includes information on legal matters surrounding kinship care, childcare availability, education, financial assistance, tax credits, and more. You can access the Resource Guide here: https://ow.ly/fU8C50SqpxF