PRESS RELEASE
ALBANY, Ore. – Because of the drastic shortage of regulated child care for children aged birth to five years old, Family Connections — the Child Care Resource and Referral agency of Linn, Benton, and Lincoln Counties — spearheaded Growing Care, an initiative to create more child care businesses run out of one’s home.
As a result, the Linn, Benton, and Lincoln Counties region had sixteen new programs licensed in the last year, a 45% increase from previous years. But helping them get licensed is only part of the effort of Growing Care, as Family Connections strives to ensure new providers are set up for success.
“We believe no new child care provider should go into financial hardships to create a business so critical to the success of the community,” said Lynnette Wynkoop, the director of Family Connections. “We were able to raise over $150,000 to give out this year to new child care providers as start-up grants, and we’ve locked in more funding from supporters for next year too.”
Funding to support Growing Care was graciously provided by the Ford Family Foundation, the John and Ginger Niemeyer Foundation, the United Way, the Benton Community Foundation, the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund, the Tim and Jo Ann McQueary Fund, the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners, and the cities of Albany and Corvallis.
The 2024 Linn-Benton-Lincoln Family Child Care Start-Up Grant Fund opened up its application process on Oct. 3; applicants can receive up to $10,000 apiece. Another application cycle is expected in fall of 2025.
Besides start-up grants, Family Connections also offers new child care providers free training through the Early Child Care Business Accelerator course hosted by Linn-Benton and Oregon Coast Community Colleges. There, students can receive twenty-four hours of classroom instruction on running a home-based child care business, with graduates receiving up to $5,000 as a start-up grant.
“Growing Care isn’t just about turning a love of children into a business, it’s about making that business work,” explains Wynkoop, “And when child care works, then parents can too, increasing the workforce. The community wins. We’re doing our part to make that happen.”
For more information, contact Family Connections. Call (541) 917-4899, email connect@linnbenton.edu, or visit the website at www.growingcare.org.