CAPE GIRARDEAU – The United Way of Southeast Missouri (UWSEMO) has been awarded a $250,000 AmeriCorps grant to launch the region’s only Childcare Resource Center.
The regional hub is dedicated to strengthening childcare access and support for families across Southeast Missouri. While the center will not provide direct childcare, it will support and expand childcare options, serving as a vital resource for families, childcare providers, and local employers. Its primary role is to provide direct support to families, helping them navigate subsidies, secure reliable placements, and connect to wraparound services so parents can enter or remain in the workforce.
At the same time, the center will strengthen the provider network by helping business owners overcome challenges to starting or sustaining childcare businesses. By connecting families to care and supporting providers, the center will ease workforce shortages, improve job stability for parents, and give employers the reliable workforce they need to thrive.
Matthew Ellison, Director of Special Initiatives for UWSEMO who will manage the Center, explains, “Every day, we hear from parents who want to work but can’t because they can’t find or afford childcare. This center is about changing that story by removing barriers so families can work and thrive, which in turn strengthens our workforce and local economy. We are proud to bring this Center to Cape Girardeau.”
In addition to the grant funding, AmeriCorps will allow UWSEMO to hire AmeriCorps members to staff the center, furthering its mission to build resilient communities and stronger families. AmeriCorps is a federal agency that engages more than 200,000 Americans each year in sustained service opportunities, addressing critical community needs ranging from education and public health to economic mobility and disaster response.
Locally, these AmeriCorps members will work to build capacity with childcare providers, help parents navigate childcare resources, and engage community members and organizations in eliminating barriers to employment for working families. The award is especially significant as many AmeriCorps programs nationwide have recently been discontinued. The selection of UWSEMO to receive this competitive grant demonstrates the urgent need for childcare resources in Southeast Missouri and the promise this initiative holds for the region.
Community members who wish to support United Way’s childcare initiative may do so in several ways:
- Mail checks to UWSEMO at 16 N. Spanish St, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701;
- Donate securely at unitedwayofsemo.org;
- Call the United Way office at 573-334-9634 to donate by phone.
Stay informed by following UWSEMO’s social media, subscribing to the monthly newsletter, and visiting the website: https://unitedwayofsemo.org/childcare/