(Atlantic) The Atlantic City Council on Wednesday will hear a presentation on the Childcare Resource and Referral Service of Southwest Iowa. Earlier this month the organization sounded an alarm of a childcare shortage in the Atlantic Community.
In a story reported earlier this month, Kelsey Smith-Walhovd, CCR&R Childcare Consultant, said one of their goals is to recruit and retain the childcare workforce so the community can grow and thrive. “We know without a childcare workforce there is no other workforce,” said Smith-Walhovd. “Iowa leads the nation in all available parents in each household working , so we know that those parents need childcare, so that is our mission.”
Childcare Resource and Referral partnered with the Iowa Women’s Foundation to provide a $250.00 incentive grant to each participant who completes the series. They’ve partnered with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and CADCO in their efforts. The group is asking businesses and individuals to make a monetary donation of their choice to the project paired with the $250.00 grant. Those wishing to contribute can make checks out to the CADCO and dropped off at their office at 14 West 6th Street in Atlantic.
CADCO Executive Director Jen McEntaffer, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Bailey Smith, and CCR&R Representative Shirley Urich will be on hand to present more information in front of the City Council.
The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. in the Atlantic City Council Chambers.