A coalition of nonprofits on Tuesday will host a call about the pandemic’s detrimental impacts on the child care industry.
The Idaho Press reports the “Idaho Child Care Crisis Call” will take place over Zoom from 12-1 p.m., hosted by the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children, the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry and other partners including United Way of the Treasure Valley and Saint Alphonsus Health System.
During the call, coalition leaders will offer recommendations for government, business and community leaders for confronting this challenge and minimizing the pandemic’s lasting impacts on child care providers, families, and the economy.
If we do not take swift action, Idaho’s child care system will face imminent collapse, leaving parents and employers in crisis,” states a press release from Beth Oppenheimer, executive director of the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children.
A national survey by the association’s national arm shows that 41 of 50 child care providers polled said they would not be in business this time next year without financial assistance.
Legislators, municipal leaders, members from the business community, and the press will join the call and hear from coalition leaders, child care providers, and parents.
“Idaho’s system of child care providers are made up of primarily home- and center-based small businesses that operate in thin margins in normal times,” Oppenheimer said in the release. “If we do not do something soon to support them, we are looking at a scary situation that could spiral out of our control, but there are resources available and steps we can take at the local, state, and federal levels to stabilize this industry and see our providers through this difficult time.”
JOIN THE CALL
To register for the Zoom event, which starts at 12 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, visit bit.ly/0804call.
The following organizations are sponsoring the call:
- Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children
- Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry
- Lee Pesky Learning Center
- RISE: Treasure Valley’s Education Partnership
- Save the Children Action Network
- Idaho Voice for Children
- United Way of North Idaho
- United Way of the Treasure Valley
- United Way of South East Idaho
- Idaho Head Start Association
- Idaho Library Association
- Saint Alphonsus Health Systems
