(Atlantic) On Wednesday, CADCO Executive Director Jennifer McEntaffer, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bailey Smith, and Shirley Urich, Community Development Specialist with Child Care Resources & Referral of Southwest Iowa, participated in a Zoom Meeting with the Atlantic City Council to get the word out about the need for childcare in Atlantic, and a program called “Child Ready.”
McEntaffer says it was recently brought to their attention of a loss of 100 childcare spots in Atlantic. “This is a real economic development issue because if you don’t have childcare, you don’t go to work,” explained McEntaffer. “People travel to workplaces where childcare is available.”
McEntaffer says a $250.00 grant per provider is being offered to incentivize potential home childcare providers. Letters have been sent to business owners and individuals asking for a monetary donation paired with the $250.00 grant to create an even larger incentive. “The initial startup costs can get quite expensive, and we would like to help pay for those startup costs.”
Shirley Urich, Community Development Specialist with Child Care Resources & Referral of Southwest Iowa, promotes a program called “Childcare Ready,” which would help staff childcare centers and home childcare providers. The startup costs include; CPR and first aid training, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, a crib for babies to sleep in, and a whole list of other items needed to start a childcare business.
Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bailey Smith says the goal is to create at least a $1,000 match for the additional donations. “They get a lot of phone calls from individuals interested in starting a home childcare business, and when they finish explaining the costs involved, they never get a callback,” said Smith. So we’re hoping to give them $1,000, so they will call back and start a daycare to accommodate the children affected by the loss of services.”
Smith admits this will only put a band-aid on the issue. First and foremost, they’re trying to cover the children currently living in the Community without childcare. “This doesn’t account for potential people moving into town for work.”
The group appeared in front of the City Council on Wednesday to help get the word out to potential donors for this program. Those individuals and businesses wishing to donate can make checks out to CADCO and dropped off at their office at 14 West 6th Street in Atlantic.
