Superior, Douglas County officials recommend child care grants

Superior and Douglas County Officials Address Child Care Crisis

The County-City Committee has taken action to tackle the child care crisis in Superior and Douglas County. They have recommended grants for child care providers to open 30 slots for toddlers in Superior and maintain existing child care availability throughout the county.

Grant Funding for Child Care Providers

The city of Superior applied for a Dream Up! Childcare Grant through the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. They were awarded $30,000 to support child care providers in Douglas County. A total of 10 child care providers in Superior, Poplar, Lake Nebagamon, and South Range applied for funding, with a total request of $41,953. These funds will support projects totaling $72,386.

• Child care providers in Superior, Poplar, Lake Nebagamon, and South Range applied for funding
• Total funding request: $41,953
• Total project cost: $72,386

Mayor Jim Paine, co-chair of the committee, suggested approving all of the grants at the full amount. The city of Superior has extra funds available from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), specifically allocated for child care. The city’s funding will supplement the grant funding available for providers in the city.

City Funding for Child Care

The Superior City Council has allocated $200,000 for child care from the ARPA funds. After awarding grants in 2022, approximately $63,000 remained. Mayor Paine recommended using the Dream Up! grant funding to support child care providers in the county first, and the city funding would supplement the available grant funding for providers in the city.

The motion to award all the grant funding requests was made by Douglas County Supervisors Nick Baker and seconded by Scott Luostari. The Douglas County Board is not required to consider the grants since the Dream Up! grant was awarded to the city. Mark Liebaert, Douglas County Board chairman and co-chair of the committee, expressed his gratitude for the additional funding provided by the city, ensuring that all applications can be approved.

Increasing Access to Child Care

The application process for the grants was successful, with a high number of child care providers applying for funding. Mayor Paine stated that funding all of the grants would not only maintain existing child care providers but also increase access to child care in the community.

Projects planned by Happy Hearts Day Care and Newborn 2 School’s two locations will add capacity once completed. Amy Benson, owner of Newborn 2 School Education, mentioned that it would take 30-60 days after the project’s completion to be up and running with 18 additional slots between the two care centers.

Supervisor Mary Lou Bergman acknowledged the child care crisis and expressed her satisfaction with the city’s efforts. Mayor Paine emphasized the importance of the city and county partnership in serving children and families in the community. Councilor Jenny Van Sickle, who discovered the state grant opportunity and pushed for the city’s application, thanked both the city and county officials as well as the child care providers for their collaborative efforts.

Grants Awarded

• Cindy Campbell’s Daycare in Superior: $5,000 for deck replacement
• Happy Hearts Day Care in Superior: $5,000 for drain tile installation and washing machine purchase
• Mickey Mouse Playhouse in Superior: $1,147 for freezer and kitchen table purchase
• Lori’s Lake Nebagamon Child Care: Full funding for permanent outdoor play structures
• Almost Home Childcare in Superior: $5,000 for shared use furnace purchase
• Heart of the North Learning Center in Poplar: $5,000 for flooring replacement
• Newborn 2 School Education’s Hill Avenue site in Superior: $5,000 for indoor play equipment and room divider purchase
• Newborn 2 School Education’s Mariner Business Center location in Superior: $5,000 for room divider and outdoor bike path installation
• Tender Loving Care in Superior: Full funding for outdoor faucet, hose, and storage purchase
• K & E Kids in South Range: Full funding for supplies for new fence and post hole digging

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education.
• Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family.
• Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
• Target 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated, and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries.
• Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 4.2.1: Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning, and psychosocial well-being, by sex.
• Indicator 5.4.1: Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work, by sex, age, and location.
• Indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of female and male employees, by occupation, age group, and persons with disabilities.
• Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and persons with disabilities.
• Indicator 11.3.1: Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate.
• Indicator 16.6.1: Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget, by sector (or by budget codes or similar), disaggregated by sex, age, and persons with disabilities.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: superiortelegram.com

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