Honoring Childcare Providers at the Childcare Professionals Appreciation Summit

Earlier this month, the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation’s Community Leadership Committee hosted a Childcare Professionals Appreciation Summit at Mid-Michigan Industries. More than 30 childcare providers from Isabella County attended the celebration.

Speakers included representatives from the Community Foundation, who shared grant opportunities for nonprofit partners; the Small Business Development Corporation, who provided business resources; Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works!, who discussed the apprenticeship program; and the Middle Michigan Development Corporation, who highlighted advocacy efforts and updates from the East Central Childcare Coalition.

The Community Foundation’s Community Leadership Committee is working to address the childcare shortage in our area. A childcare desert means that there is only one childcare opening for every three children who need a spot. Isabella County’s infant care is more problematic, with just one infant spot for every six infants.

“Our goal with this event was to celebrate the hardworking childcare providers in our community,” Committee Chair Erin Ludwig said. “They help to provide essential services to local families, and we are grateful. We want childcare providers to know about resources and that we are here to support them.”

In recent years, the Community Foundation has funded childcare projects and advocated for state-level changes to simplify establishing new centers. To learn more about our work in childcare, read more here.