Crisis close to home: Childcare in Hancock County

Imagine being in need of work but being unable to find affordable, available childcare. That is the reality for many families in Hancock County. Our community cares deeply about children, but the local childcare climate is in crisis. Like most other communities across the state and the country, Hancock County faces a severe childcare shortage, with high costs, limited availability and staffing challenges. This leaves families, especially low-income households, struggling. The lack of accessible childcare affects not only families but also employers, as parents are forced to reduce work hours or leave jobs altogether. This ripple effect weakens our workforce and limits economic growth. In Hancock County, for every one childcare slot available, there are 10 children in need of childcare. There are more than 600 children on childcare waiting lists. We estimate that over 1,000 childcare slots are needed to meet current demand. The average yearly cost per child in our community is $10,000. To comfortably afford that cost, the average family must make at least $150,000 per year. That's 2.5 times the actual median family income in Hancock County. For many working families, childcare isn't expensive — it's simply unattainable. The two biggest barriers to childcare are cost and availability. Twenty-seven percent of individuals experience disruptions to their ability to work due to childcare gaps. Eighty-two percent of area business leaders report that their businesses have been at least moderately impacted by the childcare crisis in our community. As a dad, I see this from a community perspective and a personal perspective. After a short wait, our child was accepted by a wonderful childcare provider in Findlay. It's a match for our family. We feel comfortable taking her, and she loves being there. So many people in our community have different experiences because of the lack of available childcare or the rising cost. We regularly receive notes from our provider asking us to inform them if we are considering having additional children so we can be added to the waitlist, but there are no guarantees. At The Community Foundation, many of you have shared stories about how you haven't been able to enter, or re-enter, the workforce because of the state of childcare. You've shared how this has impacted your lives, the lives of children and families you care about, and your workplaces. We want to help. As part of our Rooted to Rise campaign, The Community Foundation has dedicated $50,000 to an endowed childcare fund that will support access to, training for, operations, programs and services in Hancock County, forever. We have also dedicated $100,000 to the Tri-Share Program to help working families who earn too much to qualify for publicly funded childcare but still struggle with the cost. With this program, the cost of care is shared between the families (40%), businesses (30%), and a local fund (30%) made up of state, local, and philanthropic dollars. Whether you are a parent, employer, or community leader, your involvement can change this trajectory. Join us in helping make childcare more available, affordable, and of the highest quality possible in Hancock County. Learn more at www.community-foundation/rooted or join us for a panel presentation and Q&A at Owens Findlay Campus on March 11 from 5-6:30 p.m.. Together, we can ensure that every child in Hancock County has a safe place to grow, and every parent can work, contribute and thrive. Brian Treece is president and CEO of The Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation.