Our Why
Congratulations to our 2023 LaunchPad Family Friendly Business award recipient, POLYWOOD!
POLYWOOD has been a strong supporter of LaunchPad since its inception in 2018. They have worked diligently to help solve the childcare crisis in Kosciusko County.POLYWOOD has partnered with both Wawasee Community Schools and Wee Warriors Academy to secure high-quality childcare for their employees. They also subsidize the cost of the care to make it more affordable for families.
The Issues
- Currently, in Kosciusko County, there is a shortage of 1,500 childcare spots.
- A single parent in Kosciusko County spends 46% of his/her income on quality childcare.
- Low and moderate income families cannot afford the cost of care, which can be $10,000 or more per year for one child.
- Just over half of Kosciusko County’s childcare spots are considered high quality according to Indiana’s rating system, called Paths to Quality.
- Early childhood education is one of the lowest paying professions. While regulations call for more education for teachers, wages are low and benefits are negligible.
AFFORDABILITY
PARENTS CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY. TEACHERS CAN'T AFFORD TO STAY.
- The current model of childcare is flawed. If programs want to pay their teachers a living wage, they must raise their childcare rates.
- When businesses invest in programs:
- Quality goes up
- Care becomes affordable
- Teachers receive a living wage/benefits
- Employees are able to work and productivity goes up
- Children receive what they need to succeed!
Early Learning
- Early learning experiences build brain architecture and the foundation of all future learning.
- It is easier and less costly to form strong brain circuits in the early years than to try to heal the brain later on.
Copyright © 2024, Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce, All Rights Reserved.
Website Design by 1Eighty Digital
