Coalition Kicks Off Efforts in Pulaski County

One week after the official formation of the Quality Childcare Coalition, another child care provider shuttered its doors permanently – the third Pulaski County child care program to do so in six months. “Our coalition’s timing was both wonderful and awful,” said Leann Wright, Community Foundation of Pulaski County (CFPC) executive director. “Our county was in crisis and people were panicking. At the same time, we knew the coalition needed to focus on long-term, sustainable solutions and not just a quick fix.”

The Quality Childcare Coalition was borne out of community listening sessions led by CFPC. Affordable and accessible child care consistently emerged as a concern, leading to the September 2023 formation of the coalition as part of CFPC’s strategic plan.

Coalition Pillars

The coalition has hit the ground running, solidifying membership and identifying three key areas needed to create an environment where quality child care can thrive:

Wright appreciates the willingness of local employers and community organizations to join as active coalition members. 

Grant Funding Support

CFPC recently received $750,000 in grants from FSSA’s Employer-Sponsored Child Care Fund to provide support for several initiatives, including:

Emerging Providers: $150,000 to support in-home providers and people wanting to start child care programs, a critical category in rural areas that don’t have access to child care facilities. “We only have five licensed in-home providers in the entire county right now,” Wright said. “We want to strengthen that network because that’s really how rural communities make it happen.” The coalition hosted an informational session for those interested in becoming an in-home, licensed provider, encouraging them to begin the licensing process to accept CCDF vouchers, a financial assistance program, and access additional resources.

New Programs - Winamac: $300,000 to establish programs in Winamac, including the new Winamac Early Learning Academy. “It’s a phenomenal program,” Wright said. “But even with the lowest possible pricing, there’s a gap between tuition and what families in my community are used to paying for child care.” Grant funds will help subsidize operations of the new facility as enrollment builds.

New Programs - Francesville: $300,000 to establish programs in Francesville including development of a child care microcenter in a repurposed church. CFPC is collaborating with Parkview Haven, a continuing care retirement community, and other local businesses to move that concept forward.

Looking ahead, CFPC and the coalition have multiple other grant opportunities in the pipeline. “Housing is another key issue in our community, so we’d love to co-locate child care with affordable housing to address both issues at once,” Wright said, envisioning a new, 150-seat, state-of-the-art child care facility located at a housing catalyst site.

“Child care is a complex problem to solve, and then you add a layer of rurality and it’s nearly impossible,” Wright said. By creating a shared service model, rural providers could buy in to access human resources and administrative services to manage operational tasks. “Providers could then be free to do what they do best and what they want to do – spend time with the kids,” Wright said. A collaborative could also support the creation of microcenters across the county and ensure a sustainable business model for each one.

Looking Ahead to a Brighter Future

Wright envisions a future where all of Pulaski County’s children are prepared for kindergarten, where child care staff are all paid a living wage and where all parents have options for affordable, quality care. The formation of a passionate, dedicated coalition represents a big step toward that goal.

“The coalition brings a diverse set of voices to the table. We have representation from employers, parents, in-home providers, centers,” Wright said. “Everyone is committed to hanging in there and doing the work to keep things moving forward to make our vision a reality.”