We’re helping with a number of projects that support our region’s youngest children and their families through our Early Childhood Initiative. This includes helping to address the great need for child care so many of our communities are facing.
As child care providers retire or close, families are left with fewer and fewer options. This is especially true for families in rural Minnesota who can face long waiting lists—it can be two to three years for an infant spot. This means families often end up traveling outside the communities they live and work in to find an available provider. Child care is an essential piece for making our communities welcoming to young families. And, they’re a critical component to attracting and retaining workforce.
We’re partnering with First Children’s Finance for the Greater Than Minnesota project. Community conversations have led to partnerships between stand-alone child care to work better together for more efficient and effective experiences for children and families. Other conversations have led to creative ways for communities and businesses to address their needs through business-based child care, which is being explored in a few areas of southwest Minnesota.
