Access to quality child care is at crisis levels not only in our communities, but across the entire country. In Virginia, almost half of families in need of child care do not have access. And this was prior to the pandemic which had a lasting and devastating impact on this industry. Child care is the backbone of our economy, without which, the people upon who we each depend could simply not do their jobs. Studies have also repeatedly proven that children enrolled in quality child care enter kindergarten more prepared and ready to learn. Access to child care is an issue that affects each of us, regardless of whether or not we are in need of this service. Capital One understands this.
As part of their Impact Initiative, Capital One has made supporting small businesses and workforce development philanthropic priorities. We are extraordinarily grateful to Capital One for their recent investment in ChildSavers’ Child Development Services program, providing two grants to support the team’s efforts to provide training, coaching and technical assistance to child care providers across central and southwestern Virginia and also for funding the provision and administration of microgrants to child care facilities with the capacity to care for up to 100 children to use at their discretion to meet their greatest operation needs. Of the providers ChildSavers services, 52% are home-based child care centers, functioning as small businesses and the overwhelming majority of providers we serve are women of color.
Jamie Seagraves, Grants and Community Partnerships Manager at CapitalOne, expands on the partnership:
"The COVID-19 pandemic created significant instability for communities and families. The child care sector was an industry that was disproportionately impacted, which has downstream effects on the ability for individuals to return to work and for children to continue their critically important early education and developmental experience. Capital One continues to embrace the idea that by partnering with programs that support upward socioeconomic mobility in the community, we can help people thrive through access to jobs, education, housing, entrepreneurship, and equitably financial well being."
In addition to their philanthropy, Capital One employees have also given generously of their own time and talents, including roles on our operating and community boards. Thank you, Capital One, for your long-term partnership of our work and for your recognition and support of the child care industry.
