The U.S. childcare system is in crisis. According to the New York Times, before the pandemic, 90% of dual income families used some form of childcare arrangement. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that nearly 16,000 childcare centers were forced to close permanently during the pandemic. Covid-19 exacerbated an already problematic situation, and disproportionately affected women, who were predominantly the ones who left the workforce to provide home care. Montana continues to struggle to provide access to affordable childcare, reflecting the nationwide trends.
Today on Can Do, we are joined by Heather Foster, CEO of the Missoula Family YMCA, which is the largest childcare provider in the state. She will share her insights into the problems and challenges of responding to the community need and also share future growth plans for the 350-employee organization.
