CAPE GIRARDEAU – United Way of Southeast Missouri (UWSEMO) will launch the region’s only Childcare Resource Center with a ribbon cutting at 3 p.m. on November 19th at 16 N. Spanish Street in Cape Girardeau.
UWSEMO invites the community to tour the Childcare Resource Center and learn how UWSEMO addresses barriers to success.
Matthew Ellison, Director of Special Initiatives and manager of the center, explains “We are excited to bring the United for Childcare Resource Center to our community with the support of AmeriCorps. Childcare is not just a family issue; it is essential to our local workforce and economy. When parents can rely on safe, affordable childcare, they can work and provide for their families, and businesses can retain dedicated employees.”
Rather than providing direct childcare, the primary role of the center is to support and expand childcare options, serving as a vital resource for families, childcare providers, and local employers. Dedicated staff 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.
Ellison adds, “This center will serve as a welcoming place where families can receive one-on-one assistance in finding trusted childcare options and connect with resources that help them thrive. We invite the community to join us in learning more about how this effort will strengthen families and our local workforce.”
The Childcare Resource Center is significantly funded through an AmeriCorps Grant administered by ServMO and staffed by AmeriCorps members. 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.
Community members who wish to support United Way’s childcare initiative may do so in several ways:
1. Mail checks to UWSEMO at 16 N. Spanish St, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701;
2. Donate securely at unitedwayofsemo.org;
3. Call the United Way office at 573-334-9634 to donate by phone.
4. Stay informed by following UWSEMO’s social media, subscribing to the monthly newsletter, and visiting the website: https://unitedwayofsemo.org/childcare/