Children's Discovery Academy Matching Grant
New parents and caregivers of young children are consistently bombarded with a host of new costs and considerations, with one of the most critical being childcare. Childcare requires a tricky balance and takes a village to effectively operate. This often includes aunts and uncles, grandparents, family friends, and a complex coordination of schedules. On top of it all, the lack of affordable and accessible childcare leaves many parents struggling to find quality care within their budget. According to data published by Public Policy Associates in an analysis for the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Great Start, about 75% of Michigan’s children live in a “childcare desert”, areas with limited access to licensed child care (3 or more children per licensed childcare slot).
The East-Central Michigan Child Care Coalition is working to address childcare challenges in our region. To get a holistic picture of what childcare looks like for mid-Michigan families, the group has surveyed parents, providers, childcare staff, and business owners in a nine-county region (Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, Osceola, and Saginaw). According to survey results, many families are paying more than 7% of their income toward childcare costs. This 7% is the benchmark for affordable childcare set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. What is even more unfortunate is that even if parents have the income to enroll their child in a program, there may not be a slot for them to apply for due to the growing number of childcare deserts. Five of the counties surveyed (Clare, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland and Saginaw) have “pocket areas” where two or less children are competing for the same slots, but the rest of these counties are considered childcare deserts (Joanne Bailey-Boorsma with Second Wave Michigan).
United Way works to build a strong community where everyone has access to quality education, especially young children at critical stages in their development. This is why United Way partnered with Children’s Discovery Academy for a matching grant in February 2024 to support construction costs of opening their new location. Children’s Discovery Academy provides affordable childcare programs for children of various ages and needs, and it is currently the only center-based program providing infant care in Gratiot County. All of their classrooms are equipped with materials and activities to engage children in language, math, science, art, music and literacy to support their social, emotional and physical development. Some of the top concerns for Children’s Discovery Academy include making sure that all classrooms have low ratios and that they employ support staff. This makes certain that the children get more quality time with their teachers, and that the teachers can focus all of their energy on making their classroom the best experience for the children. They also involve children in outdoor play, community field trips, and extracurricular classroom activities to guarantee all students are able to thrive. Children’s Discovery Academy prioritizes a well-rounded experience for the children they support, the parents they serve, and the community they are a part of.
We are proud to share that Children’s Discovery Academy raised $5,000 during their matching grant fundraising, which, combined with United Way of Gratiot & Isabella Counties match, totalled $10,000 in funding to support their work. If you would like to learn more about how you can support Children’s Discovery Academy in their new location, visit their support page: https://childrensdiscoveryacademy.org/support-our-cause/support-us/.
