Expanding childcare programs to reinvigorate the local workforce

QC, that’s where we create innovative solutions to help parents find childcare and employers find workforce.

Recently, the City of Moline announced a forgivable loan program to help expand local childcare programs with the goal of reinvigorating the local workforce. According to the City, there is very little childcare infrastructure to support shift and weekend work. This impacts first responders, nurses and hospitality workers who tend to work outside of the standard hours of operation for many businesses.

The City crafted this program as a vehicle to address economic recovery and spark additional growth knowing that an often overlooked aspect of workforce infrastructure is childcare.

“We need entrepreneurs with a heart for children and those running existing childcare centers to take advantage of this funding in order to provide more services,” said Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati. “This will help us add more tools in our tool belt in terms of addressing the needs for care for our community’s children and getting people back into the workforce.”

According to the City, in 2018 SAL Family and Community Services in partnership with the United Way conducted a study on quality-child care needs in the Quad Cities. According to Child Care Resource and Referral, the lack of adequate childcare availability was significant prior to April 2020, but the pandemic intensified the situation, shuttering childcare centers and taking childcare workers out of the workforce as well.

Nearly two years later childcare availability remains lacking, hindering the ability of parents to accept jobs which impacts the engine that can help our region’s economy get back on track and grow. 

The Childcare/Workforce Infrastructure Forgivable Loan Program (funded by the American Rescue Plan Act) will assist families and businesses that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This program is designed to encourage entrepreneurship in child care and early education workforce, as well as enhancement of existing centers so they can increase available childcare slots and change their hours to increase our options for second shift, third shift and weekend coverage.

The Quad Cities Chamber applauds the City for its innovation and action to support parents, the childcare providers on which they rely and the businesses where they work. As a region, we continue to create solutions that will build our workforce and strengthen our economy. The Quad Cities Chamber is convening and collaborating with many partners to address these issues and achieve our collective goal: to be a prosperous region where all can thrive.