Tri-County Region Collaboration to Address Child-Care Challenges

The community foundations of Bartholomew, Jackson and Jennings counties in Indiana are bringing community partners together through a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to study regional child-care challenges and how those barriers can be confronted with a collaborative regional approach.

First Children’s Financial, a national leader in child-care business development and financing, has been contracted to work with The Community Foundation of Jackson County, Jennings County Community Foundation, Heritage Fund–The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, the Community Education Coalition’s Early Learning Initiative, Ivy Tech Columbus, Child Care Network Inc. and Jennings County School Corporation to engage each county in conversations around the strengths and challenges their community has to support sustainable child-care options.

Heritage Fund President and CEO Tracy Souza noted, “Our objective for this work was summed up well in our grant application to Lilly Endowment. Reliable, developmentally appropriate, dependable, and affordable child care lays a strong foundation for the future development of children, enables caregivers to work and provide for their families, and empowers employers to thrive.”

“We are pleased to join Heritage Fund and the Jennings County Community Foundation to collectively examine what is working, what is challenging us and how we might collectively help move child care in our communities forward,” Dan Davis, Community Foundation of Jackson County president and CEO, said.

“We are convinced that child care is as much of a workforce issue as it is a family issue for many in the community.” Jennings County Community Foundation Executive Director Kelly Kent agreed.

“What a great opportunity we have been given by Lilly to hear from families, employers and child-care providers about the hurdles they face in our communities for child care. By collaborating with Bartholomew and Jackson counties we can begin working together to incorporate new ideas and overcome the challenges facing the families and businesses in our community,” she said.

An important component of this work will be gathering information and input from stakeholders across the three-county region including child-care providers, parents, employers and other partners. Town Hall meetings will be conducted in each county. On-site child care, dinner and a stipend for participants will be provided in an effort to include as many voices as possible.

The meetings are scheduled from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on:

• Jackson County: February 27, Child Care Network Inc, 414 N. Chestnut St., Seymour
• Bartholomew County: February 28, Columbus Learning Center, Summerville Room, 4555 Central Ave.
• Jennings County: February 29, Jennings County High School, 800 W. Walnut St., North Vernon

To register for a Town Hall Meeting or for questions regarding this child-care initiative, contact Kari Stattelman, Director of Consulting, First Children’s Financial, at karis@firstchildrensfinance.org.