NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro Council members Tuesday night approved a measure that would provide $7.5 million to create childcare network in Nashville.
Dubbed the Local Child Care Stabilization Program, the funding will work to stabilize 12 center-based childcare providers in the city that work with low income families enrolled in the Tennessee Department of Human Services childcare assistance program. The effort will try to fill in the gaps for the cost of childcare and work to eliminate "childcare deserts."
The United Way and the Raphah Institute will implement the program.
“Home-based childcare providers in low-income communities are equally isolated from indispensable resources needed to operate high-quality childcare businesses, said Travis Claybrooks, founder and CEO of Raphah. "If these providers were better resourced, they could be the solution to high-quality early learning access in the most marginalized communities.”
Not to be overshadowed tonight, we approved $7,519,000 to provide affordable high quality childcare.
— Councilwoman Sandra Sepulveda (@SandraForNash) April 6, 2022
This is historic. The estimate is that a family would pay $42/week to provide childcare for one child. This is before any vouchers!
Part 1
United Way will leverage Metro Nashville funding to stabilize up to 12 center-based childcare providers that serve low-income families
During the next two years, Raphah Institute will use Metro Nashville funding to pilot resourcing 30-50 home-based childcare providers that serve families, which will account for 300 children.
Here are the participating centers:
- Eighteenth Avenue Family Enrichment Center
- Fannie Battle Day Home for Children
- First Steps, Inc
- King’s Daughters Child Development Center
- McNeilly Center for Children
- St. Luke’s Community House
- St. Mary Villa Child Development Center at St. Vincent de Paul
- Wayne Reed Christian Childcare Center
- 15th Avenue Learning Academy North at Bethlehem Center
- Schrader Lane Vine Hill Childcare Center
Organizers said they will later identify two more centers, which will serve the Hispanic and Latino community.
