U.S. Senator, Joni Ernst, was in Glidden Thursday as part of her annual 99-county tour to learn more about the community’s effort to address the lack of local child care. Ernst met with community leaders at the Albert Kruger Sr. Shelter to discuss the need for initiatives like the Lil’ Wildcat Education Center. Board President, Angela Lensch, says child care availability in town has been on the decline for many years.
There are more than three times as many children in Carroll County as there are slots available at daycare providers. Ernst says this is a problem she has heard in many of Iowa’s rural communities and it is reflected in the number of working mothers who have chosen to leave the workforce during the pandemic.
The approximately $1.1 million Lil’ Wildcat Education Center is projected to open sometime in mid to late 2022 and is the result of public-private partnerships. The center was recently awarded up to $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding with the remaining balance raised through private donations and contributions from local businesses. Ernst, who noted her own struggles in finding child care for her daughter while serving as the Montgomery County Auditor, says there are currently several initiatives being worked on at the federal level aimed at addressing child care deserts.
The Child Care and Workforce and Facilities Act would provide $100 million in grants to licensed providers in identified child care deserts to offset the cost of required training for caregivers and build or renovate existing facilities. More information on the Lil’ Wildcat Education Center can be found using the link included below.
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Click HERE for more information
