The Greater Fox Valley Child Care Alliance is a network of partners across NE Wisconsin (from Greater Green Bay to Oshkosh) working to make it easier for children ages birth to 5 and their families to get the high-quality, affordable early care and education (ECE) and family supports they need to thrive.
With this newsletter we aim to educate and inform our communities about the need to transform early care and education in ways that will bring about more equitable and lasting outcomes for children and families across the region and to spark opportunities for action, alignment and coordination.
This month you’ll find:
LOCAL NEWS:
- Envision Greater Green Bay addresses regional child care issues, featuring guest articles by Paula Breese, Lynn Coriano, and Sarah Inman
- Basic Needs Giving Partnership recently announced multi-year systems change grants focused in the areas of early care and education (birth to five), housing access, mental health, and substance use.
- NPR Newscast: National story features Sachin Shivaram, CEO of Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry, on need for action in child care crisis.
OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE & LEARN:
- Wisconsin Department of Children and Families and the Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin, release Child Care Supply and Demand Challenges in Wisconsin, Final Report, September 2024
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a non-partisan research and policy institute, urges policymakers to prioritize expansion of Child Tax Credit by Kris Cox, Deputy Director of Federal Tax Policy
- Wisconsin Early Childhood Association hosts upcoming Parent Champion Forums
- Encompass hosts WECA Child Care forum on October 24th
Local News
Judy Nagel, member of the Upward Mobility Signals Team of Envision Greater Green Bay, invited three Alliance partners Paula Breese, Executive Director, Family and Childcare Resources of NEW; Lynn Coriano, executive director, Basic Needs Giving Partnership and convenor of the Greater Fox Valley Child Care Alliance; and Sarah Inman, principal strategist community investment Brown County United Way to share their expertise and perspective on regional child care need in their recent issue.
Basic Needs Giving Partnership (BNGP) awarded 2024 multi-year grants to 12 organizations, including three community-driven system change projects addressing early care and education (birth to 5) efforts.
Please join us in congratulating Achieve Brown County, the City of Waupaca, and Wisconsin Early Childhood Association for championing efforts to re-imagine the early care and education system and work to build thriving families and communities in our region and state.
National Public Radio (NPR) featured Sachin Shivaram, CEO of Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry, as a leader in efforts to take action in child care crisis. The interview and accompanying article provide insight as well as strategic efforts to support employee needs as well as Shivaram’s ongoing efforts to build awareness and action toward a more stable child care system that prioritizes children.
Opportunities to Engage & Learn
Governor Tony Evers and the Department of Children and Families highlighted the urgency and continued decline in child care availability for Wisconsin families identified in the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families and the Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Child Care Supply and Demand Challenges in Wisconsin, Final Report, September 2024.
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The Alliance supports efforts to transform policies and processes so all parents can get the child care and support they need when they need them. We seek to share research, data and policy information to provide greater context of child care as an essential need affecting overall health and wellbeing of families. We know that all children benefit from strong, stable families who have access to housing, food, healthcare and quality early care and education.
We share this recent posting by the non-partisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities to highlight the importance and power of investing in children and families through policy decisions such as the Child Tax Credit expansion.
Source: CBPP analysis of the March 2023 Current Population Survey (CPS) for national total, allocated by state based on CBPP analysis of the American Community Survey (ACS) for 2017-2019. Poverty calculations also use U.S. Census Bureau Supplemental Poverty Measure research files for the ACS.
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Alliance partners seek to mobilize and equip parents and providers to advocate for kids and themselves so that they and their families voice is heard. WECA is hosting a statewide virtual forum for parents; please feel free to share with families of all shapes and sizes through your networks!
Join WECA for their upcoming virtual Parent Champion Forums where families will discover a supportive network where their dedication as parents is recognized and voices are amplified. We’re here to make sure attendees feel empowered through effective advocacy. The next session is Monday, Oct. 7 at 11:30 a.m.
Share with parents you serve or who are part of your networks today! Registration info here.
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Join the WECA Community Child Care Forum – Hosted by Encompass.
Date: Thursday, October 24th Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Location: Encompass Early Education & Care – Bellin Health Center 1823 South Webster Avenue, Green Bay, WI 54301
Join local leadership, child care professionals, employers, and parents to meet with state elected officials and candidates. You’ll learn more about the child care landscape, share experiences, and discuss how ongoing challenges are impacting child care professionals, families, businesses, and your community.
Thank You Partners
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