NEW GLARUS — The 3rd annual National Day of Action will be held Monday, May 13. The event aims to bring awareness to early care and education/childcare and its foundational role in communities and economic success. It will bring in educators, families, childcare program business owners, other business owners, elected officials, and community members together from 9-11 a.m. at the New Glarus Village Park.
Confirmed Speakers are Deputy Undersecretary Jeff Pertl, State Superintendent Jill Underly, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Main Street Alliance Policy and Political Impact Director, Shawn Phetteplace, Olivia Otte of Green County Development Corporation, Teresa Keehn of the Green County United Way, Sue Nelson County Supervisor, Heather DuBois Bourenane of Wisconsin Public Education Network, Sen. Spreitzer, Rep. Jacobson, Corrine Hendrickson of Corrine’s Little Explorers, Brooke Skidmore, of The Growing Tree confirmed to speak along with professionals from child care and parents.
They will also be welcoming individuals who are inspired to speak up to share their stories after the scheduled speakers are finished. Further event information can be found on the Child Care Matters Facebook Group: https://fb.me/e/3khBLNJNu.
The current Green County child care landscape shows the county is 740 slots short — plus an additional 100 slots considered available are not due to closed classrooms. The economic cost to Green County is about $26 million annually.
“This is an improvement from a year ago, but still not enough,” Hendrickson said.
With the investments in Green County through partnerships with the Green County Workforce Development, United Way, and Green County Child Care Network through grants from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Preschool Development Block Grants, and the Child Care Matters campaign since 2021 the number of regulated programs increased by four — the first increase in over a decade. Seven more programs accept WI Shares, through participation in Youngstar. However, only 8% of all eligible families utilize WI Shares subsidy.
