Child Care Impact Area

“Matthew is learning life lessons at preschool. My goal is for him to finish school and go to college.”

Provides quality childcare and early childhood education programs for young children.
Allows teen parents to finish school by providing childcare.
Assists parents in finding quality childcare.

Need: 20% of children in SD live in households with incomes at or below the poverty level. Low family income can impede children’s cognitive development and their ability to learn, as well as contribute to behavioral, social, emotional, and health problems.

Results: 101 children ages pre-birth to three received quality early childhood services in 2009. 83% of the children are up-to-date on immunizations. 89 families/parents attended school or work because their child had quality care.

Need: 80% of a child’s brain develops by age 3, 90% by age 5. The average local cost of an infant in a family daycare is $5824 for 45 hours/week care for a year. The cost in a child care center is $8320.

Results: 2,910 referrals for quality child care were provided to caregivers in 2009. 43% of parents found care through these referrals. Educational efforts on quality child care led 73% of parents to be able to verbalize 3 characteristics of what quality child care is.

Read Matthew's story.

Sioux Empire United Way Impact Areas
After-School * Basic Needs * Child Care * Counseling * Disabilities * Diversity * Emergency Services
Health & Healing * Seniors * SFACF * Success By 6 * Youth Development * Youth Outreach