Regional child care task force gets funding boost
The funding is critical because affordable, quality child care availability is showing no improvement, proponents say.
According to a press release, the next phase of funding is also expected to pave the way for broader impact across neighboring counties in southern West Virginia.
The funding will be distributed over the next three years to a regional task force launched in late 2024. The Together We Grow Southern WV Task Force is led by Melissa Colagrosso, owner of Lochgelly-based A Place To Grow Children's Center and founder of Together We Grow. The task force was established to address the growing child care crisis in the region, in which thousands of children are at risk of losing access to essential early learning opportunities, according to a press release.
By coalescing community leaders, educators, business owners and residents, the task force's aim is to develop 'long-term, community-based solutions to strengthen the region's child care infrastructure and ensure a brighter future for West Virginia's children,' the release read in part.
The initiative is led by Together We Grow, in partnership with national child care consulting firm Child Care Biz Help, with fiscal support provided by the Fayette County Family Resource Network. Organizers extended special thanks to Diane Callison, the FRN executive director, for her leadership in securing funding that paved the way for the initiative.
'Child care is the foundation of a thriving community,' said Colagrosso, the project lead for Together We Grow. 'It enables parents to work, contributes to economic stability and nurtures the next generation.
'Providers are facing serious challenges — such as staffing shortages, limited access and underfunded programs — that require bold, united action. That's what the Together We Grow initiative is all about.'
The grant, provided by the Beckley-based One Foundation, which was founded by Marz Attar, will allow the task force to pursue several key goals, including:
• Expanding child care access in Fayette and neighboring counties
• Engaging local employers as partners in building child care solutions that support working families
• Raising public awareness of the critical role early childhood education plays in social and economic outcomes
• Strengthening policy and legislative advocacy for child care investment across the state
• Building a sustainable infrastructure to deliver lasting improvements to the region's child care system.
The press release referred to a recent report by West Virginia Watch that highlighted the absence of a concrete state plan to address the looming child care crisis. To that end, the Together We Grow Southern WV Task Force aims to step in to help fill the void and offer actionable recommendations to local and state policymakers, representatives say.
The task force welcomes individuals and organizations committed to addressing the region's child care crisis. Community leaders, employers, educators, human resources professionals and concerned citizens are encouraged to lend their voices, ideas and expertise to the effort.
Colagrosso on Thursday said the deficit of affordable child care that is accessible for families is still a major hindrance to success in the region.
'Where's your child care infrastructure?' she asked. 'If you don't have child care, how can people work?
'If we can't get people to work, we can't get businesses to come here.'
Figures supplied by Colagrosso indicate that over 150 child care providers in West Virginia have closed since January 2023. New ones of substantial size have not been forthcoming, she pointed out. 'The problem is still the same; the subsidy system is still broken.' That, she said, creates a 'no-win situation.'
The One Foundation grant will provide seed money, and outreach will be ongoing to attempt to secure other funding avenues. The task force will share findings and recommendations publicly.
To get involved by joining the task force, visit togetherwegrowchildcare.org. Individuals can also volunteer to assist with outreach to local businesses and community partners. 'Together We Grow' yard signs are available to display, and campaign materials are available to distribute to increase visibility of the issue, according to the release.
'We're really, really working hard to get employers involved,' Colagrosso said.
In the most recent legislation session, Colagrosso said, 'We did manage to hold our own,' adding, 'We need West Virginia to prioritize it. It has to become a priority for the State of West Virginia.'
Potential cuts to Head Start could worsen the outcomes even more, Colagrosso said. 'Head Start serves child care for working families in a lot of communities,' she said. 'It's going to worsen this crisis in child care.
'We are advocating strongly that our rural communities have to continue with their Head Start programs.'
A series of conversations on child care is scheduled for eight locations around the state, beginning with an event May 13 at the Lively Family Amphitheater in Oak Hill. It will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The event will offer 'a chance for everybody in the community' to get involved, said Colagrosso.
Other stops will include Lewisburg (Hollowell Park, May 14, 6 to 7:30 p.m.), as well as events in Bridgeport, Morgantown, Wheeling, Barboursville, Scott Depot and Martinsburg.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Upturn
2 hours ago
- Business Upturn
Capital markets stocks crash: Angel One down 5.5%, Nuvama Wealth down 6%, BSE and CDSL slip after Jane Street SEBI ban
By Aditya Bhagchandani Published on July 4, 2025, 10:04 IST Shares of India's capital market-related companies fell sharply on Friday, July 4, after the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) barred US-based trading firm Jane Street from accessing Indian markets over alleged manipulation. Nuvama Wealth Management shares dropped around 6%, Angel One fell 5.5%, while BSE and CDSL also opened lower before partially recovering from their day's lows. SEBI's order stated that unlawful gains worth approximately ₹4,843 crore by Jane Street and others will be impounded. Angel One stock was also under pressure after its monthly business update showed signs of slowing growth. The broking platform reported a 41% YoY drop in gross client acquisition in June to 0.55 million, though the client base still grew 31% YoY. The number of orders processed declined 31% YoY to 114.95 million, while average daily orders dropped 38% YoY to 5.47 million. The broader weakness in the sector reflects investor concerns over regulatory tightening and operational headwinds in capital market intermediaries following the SEBI action against Jane Street. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aditya Bhagchandani serves as the Senior Editor and Writer at Business Upturn, where he leads coverage across the Business, Finance, Corporate, and Stock Market segments. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to journalistic integrity, he not only contributes insightful articles but also oversees editorial direction for the reporting team.
Boston Globe
2 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Democrats see Trump's big bill as key to their comeback. It may not be so easy.
Indeed, in political battlegrounds across Alaska and Iowa, Pennsylvania and California, Democrats have already begun to use Trump's bill to bludgeon their Republican rivals. Democrats are promising that the package — Trump's biggest domestic policy achievement to date — will be the defining issue of every major election between now and next fall's high-stakes midterms. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'One thing is abundantly clear: Republicans own this mess and it's an albatross around their necks heading into the midterms,' Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin told The Associated Press. 'This is the least popular legislation in modern history, and the more voters learn about it, the more they hate it. That's a clear directive for Democrats -- we're going to make sure every single voter knows who is responsible.' Advertisement Even with early public opinion on their side, however, it's far from certain that the Republican budget bill will be the political winner Democrats hope. Advertisement The Democratic brand remains deeply unpopular, the party has no clear leader, its message is muddled and core elements of the Democratic base are frustrated and drifting. Some of the bill's changes won't take effect until after the 2026 midterms, so voters may not have felt the full impact by the time they vote. At the same time, it's unclear how many voters are paying attention to the Washington-based debate. The Democratic super PAC Priorities USA warned this week that Democrats must work harder if they want their message to break through the polarized media environment. 'We can't just assume that because we're angry that the voters that we need to communicate with are angry. Everyone needs to step up and realize the enormous challenge that's in front of us,' Executive Director Danielle Butterfield said. 'We're nowhere near a good starting place.' At its core, the bill's priority is $4.5 trillion in tax breaks enacted in Trump's first term that would expire if Congress failed to act, along with new ones. This includes allowing workers to deduct tips and overtime pay. The package includes $1.2 trillion in cutbacks to Medicaid and food stamps and a massive rollback of green energy investments. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the package will add $3.3 trillion to the deficit over the decade. Democrats in Congress were united against the bill, and even some Republicans expressed concerns. But ultimately, Trump persuaded the conservative holdouts to fall in line. Democrats' challenge on display Privately, some Democrats conceded that Republicans were smart to pass the bill on the eve of a holiday weekend when fewer voters would be paying attention. And as some Democrats in Washington predicted a fierce political backlash across America, the response was somewhat muted Thursday at a Democratic event in Iowa, barely 10 miles from the Iowa State Fairgrounds where Trump later drew thousands for an evening rally. Advertisement An audience of roughly 100 people listened as local Democratic officials railed against the legislation and called on voters to oust Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, the local congressman, for supporting it. Audience member Michael Rieck, 69, said Iowa Democrats left him a message about the rally, but when he went online to learn more, 'there was nothing.' 'I texted back to them that I didn't see any advertisement,' he said. 'They slowly corrected that. I'm still not impressed with what they did to advertise this event.' Rieck said he wants to see different factions of the party better coordinate their message. Meanwhile, progressive activists were moving through Minnesota in a big green bus as part of Fair Share America's 29-stop 'stop the billionaire giveaway' tour. The group is focused on Republican-led congressional districts where elected officials have largely stopped having in-person town halls with constituents. Fair Share Executive Director Kristen Crowell said the crowds, even some Trump supporters, have been receptive. Still, she acknowledged many people don't know what's in the bill. 'We know we're fighting upstream,' she said. 'But when people hear exactly what's in this bill, they're adamantly opposed. I mean, I can tell you, in 17 stops, I've not had one person come up to me and say, 'You are on the wrong side of this.'' What the polls say The GOP's bill is generally unpopular, according to polling conducted throughout the month of June, although some individual provisions are popular. Advertisement For example, a Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that majorities of U.S. adults support increasing the annual child tax credit and eliminating taxes on earnings from tips, and about half support work requirements for some adults who receive Medicaid. On the other hand, the poll found that majorities oppose reducing federal funding for food assistance to low-income families and spending about $45 billion to build and maintain migrant detention centers. The price tag could be a sticking point. About 6 in 10 U.S. adults in the poll said it was 'unacceptable' that the bill is expected to increase the U.S. national debt, currently at $36 trillion, by about $3 trillion over the next decade. But polling indicates that most Americans aren't paying attention to the nuances of the bill, either. The Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that only about one-third of U.S. adults have heard 'a great deal' or 'a good amount' about it. Democrats are planning a summer of organizing The Democratic National Committee and its allies plan an 'organizing summer' that will feature town halls, training and voter registration drives in at least 35 competitive congressional districts. The message will be focused heavily on Trump's bill. Democratic groups also are expected to unveil a new round of digital attack ads targeting vulnerable Republicans in the coming days. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, who leads the Democratic Governors Association, said her party must keep the bill's contents at the forefront of people's minds to ensure it's an issue in the 2026 midterm elections — and even the next presidential election in 2028. 'We'll just have to keep that on the radar,' she said. Meanwhile, progressive groups are planning a 'Family First' day of action for July 26 in all 50 states. They'll highlight vulnerable Americans hurt by the new Medicaid cuts and hold a 60-hour vigil at the U.S. Capitol. Advertisement 'Because people call Medicaid something different in every state, a lot of people didn't realize — until this very moment — that their health care was at stake,' said one of the Family First organizers, Ai-jen Poo, president of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. 'We have made a promise to each other and to future generations that there will be a safety net in place when we need it. And this is what's being ripped away. And people will not stand for it.' Peoples reported from New York. AP writers Amelia Thomson DeVeaux in Washington; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; and Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed.
Chicago Tribune
3 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Flender Corp. starts work on new 124,500-square-foot warehouse in Elgin
Flender Corp. has broken ground on a 124,500-square-foot warehouse adjacent to its 16-year-old building on Madeline Drive in Elgin. Flender, a German-based company that supplies gearboxes, generators and services for wind turbines and related industries, is ready to continue its growth in that field, Flender President Kerry Klein said. 'By enhancing our service capabilities, we are poised to significantly improve lead times, efficiency and cost effectiveness, reinforcing our position as a leader in both industry and wind service sectors,' Klein said. In addition to providing warehouse space, the new Elgin building will have in-house gear regrinding capabilities and provide consolidated storage, a news release on the expansion said. Flender will celebrate its 50th anniversary in Elgin in 2026, the same year the warehouse will be ready for use. Its first building in Elgin on Tollgate Road was used until 2014, initially used to manufacture parts and assembled pump jack gear boxes for the oil industry, Klein said. 'The pump jack market fell out immediately after we built the first plant in 1976, and we immediately pivoted to other industrial applications,' he said. That meant transitioning to assembling and servicing gear boxes and other parts and equipment used for plastic extrusion, wastewater treatment, conveyor systems for moving gravel and coal, and for systems used to process cement. Wind energy turbines came into the picture in the late 1990s, Klein said, and repairing and repowering their gear boxes now accounts for 60% of the company's business. In 2009, Flender opened in its current Elgin location, a 230,000-square-foot building it now leases from Brookstone, Klein said. The new facility will cost about $22 million to build, with Flender leasing it from Pancor. 'This is the last available lot in the industrial park in that area,' Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Carol Gieske said. Klein said Elgin is a great location for the company for many reasons. 'A good amount of the equipment we assemble and service is very large and very heavy. So having access to highways is important, as is being centrally located,' he said. The Elgin area also is less expensive than other areas in the Chicago market and has a good talent pool from which to fill their office and industrial jobs, Klein said. Flender currently employs 175 people at its Elgin location. Under a 2023 agreement with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for tax credits, the company needs to expand its Elgin operations and to employ 190 people by the time the new building opens in early 2026. One challenge Flender and other wind energy-related businesses are facing in the United States is the newly passed federal budget bill. The legislation will allow renewable energy projects that begin construction by 2026 or come online by 2027 to receive tax credits, which is slightly less restrictive than a previous version of the bill, published reports said. That could make Flender and other wind energy businesses very busy during that time frame before things slow down, Klein said. Over the decades the wind energy industry has faced political challenges, he said. 'It's here to stay, regardless of politics,' Klein said. 'Growth may be slower, particularly in the United States, but there will still be growth.' A big reason will be the increased demand for power brought on by AI, data centers, factories, electric vehicles and other consumer goods, he said. To meet that demand, various energy sources will have to be utilized. 'Wind energy is not the whole solution, but it's definitely part of the equation,' Klein said.
