First Children’s Finance Conducts Onboarding Meeting with Local Childcare Collaborative
On September 13, 2022, a group of individuals from across the community and around the region came together to begin the process of creating a strategic plan to address the local childcare shortage in the Thief River Falls area.
Advance Thief River submitted an application to First Children’s Finance for their “Strategic Supply Plan” program in May of this year. “We were absolutely thrilled to be accepted into the program,” said Michelle Landsverk, Director of Advance Thief River. “First Children’s Finance has been successful in helping other communities, and I am hopeful that they can help us identify ways to increase childcare capacity here, too.”
First Children’s Finance is a national nonprofit, headquartered in Minnesota. Their mission is to grow the supply and business sustainability of excellent childcare.
The purpose of the Strategic Supply Plan program is to bring local stakeholders together to develop an action plan that will increase the supply of quality childcare.
First Children’s Finance will be working with a group of local stakeholders that have been meeting for several months. The group includes private employers, economic development, nonprofit, education, private citizens, and elected officials.
At the September 13 kickoff meeting, First Children’s Finance presented an analysis of the current childcare gap. The analysis focused on childcare capacity and needs within the 56701 zip code. Within that area, they found thirty-eight licensed family childcare providers, and one licensed childcare center. Their analysis indicates a need for 283 additional childcare slots.
First Children’s Finance anticipates completion of the plan early 2023.
