Childcare Initiative Aims to Support Working Families
Reposted from The Morganton News Herald, written by staff writer Jason Koon.
The Burke County United Way is focusing on supporting working families by helping with childcare expenses.
BCUW’s childcare initiative is a significant piece of the organization’s strategic plan for 2021-2024. Developed in response to a community stakeholder survey, the strategic plan carves out three core areas the organization will focus on – self-sufficiency, housing stability and youth success. BCUW Executive Director Maureen “Mo” Schwind said childcare expenses are often a significant roadblock working families face on the road to self-sufficiency.
The United Way’s research shows 56% of Burke County children are living in poor or low-income families and cites childcare as the second highest expense for most working families, behind housing.
Schwind said the initiative is designed to help ease this burden.
“Our program is working to target those families that are working with preference given to single parents,” she said.
To qualify for assistance, family income must be less than 150% of the federal poverty level and housing expenses must account for 30% or more of total income. According to BCUW statistics, 58% of low to moderate income families in Burke County are above this 30% threshold.
“This is trying to target those people who are working hard or falling short, doing without or having to make some hard choices,” Schwind said.
She said the program is currently up and running, funding a few child care spots for qualifying children and has 10 more open spots available. BCUW is currently taking applications to fill those places.
“I have been able to enroll a few families in the program right now,” Schwind said. “We have up to 20 slots for children that we’re able to pay subsidies for.”
The Burke County United Way is working with the Catawba Valley YMCA to fund spots in the Burke County Public Schools daycare centers. Starting in 2021, the YMCA began running BCPS day care centers as part of the district’s effort to keep them affordable in the wake of rising labor costs. To keep the centers affordable, the YMCA depends heavily on initiatives like this, grants, subsidies, and private donations, according to Nat Auten, president and CEO of the Catawba Valley YMCA.
Schwind pointed to the North Carolina United Way’s Self-Sufficiency Standard to demonstrate the financial pressures many local families are facing and how affordable day care can help ease those burdens.
According to the 2020 study which “tracks the true cost of living facing North Carolina families,” housing and childcare costs combined account for more than half of the family budget for most North Carolina families with small children. The study also found cost increases in these areas “have far outstripped wage increases.”
It further shows federal poverty levels are “well below what is minimally adequate to meet a family’s basic needs,” citing the example of a three-person family headed by a single adult, for which the federal poverty level is $21,720. According to the study, this family would need to make approximately $47,189 to cover basic needs in Burke County.
Schwind said this means there are a lot of working families in Burke County that do not qualify for subsidized childcare but may be unable to cover the family’s basic needs without it.
According to Schwind, this is the key demographic the initiative targets.
“There are some families that make too much money to qualify for DSS Childcare Subsidies,” she said. “Our program is filling a need for them … I think summer care for one week is $140 through the YMCA, so for a family with just one child this can be quite a savings for them.”
For more information about the Burke County United Way initiative call 828-433-0681. Learn more about our focus on Youth Success here. Or donate to the program here.