Submitted by City of Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation
The City of Olympia and Olympia School District have partnered to provide $100,000 in funding for a new Childcare Relief Program. This program will provide registration relief for qualifying parents and families seeking local childcare services.
As we enter fall 2020, Thurston County Public Health does not recommend school districts open for full in-person learning. With schools opening in a distance learning model, families are faced with providing both childcare and education support at times when children would otherwise be in school. For single parents, working parents, and low-income families the burden is amplified. Beyond the household, this problem compounds into a larger challenge for the regional economy.
The new parent/childcare worker/education support role may limit parents’ capacity to perform their job duties and earn the necessary income to support their families. The consequences of this situation could very quickly lead to struggling children who fall behind, financially strapped families, and a strained economy.
In response, the Boys and Girls Club of Thurston County, South Sound YMCA, and Olympia Parks, Arts, and Recreation has partnered with the Olympia School District to provide satellite childcare sites at 7 different school facilities. The plan is that each of the partner agencies will provide needed childcare services throughout the day, which will include supplemental support for education.
Thanks to $50,000 in contributions from both the Olympia School District and the City of Olympia, all families that qualify for free and reduced-price meals will be eligible to receive reduced registration rates for fall childcare. In some cases, these scholarships could result in up to 50% or 75% reductions in weekly registration fees.
Parents who are interested in determining availability and eligibility should contact the childcare providers listed below:
Boys and Girls Clubs of Thurston County
360.956.0755
bgctc.org
- Jefferson Middle School
Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation
360.753.8380
olympiawa.gov/childcare
- Hansen Elementary
- Pioneer Elementary
South Sound YMCA
360.918.0400
southsoundymca.org/y-care
- Garfield Elementary
- McKenny Elementary
- McLane Elementary
- Roosevelt Elementary
