Early Care and Education

Learn About the Workforce Childcare Benefits Program

A flourishing community needs quality, affordable childcare to support the balance between family stability and workforce demands. Connect Kootenai aims to work with partners to create public private partnerships to provide more childcare availability in Kootenai county. Currently, Connect Kootenai is providing information, contacts, research, and referrals to the Early Learning and Training Center Feasibility Study while ensuring that all citizens are aware of the importance of early childhood resources in our community. This year, Connect Kootenai plans to help develop a public awareness campaign to demonstrate holistic connection to the community’s vision by focusing on the importance of children as the future of our community. Additionally, Connect Kootenai will continue to support the Early Care and Education Task Force.

Connect Kootenai helps create community connections

two young student girls happily looking through a pile of books The Connect Kootenai Executive Director serves on the Early Care and Education Task Force as well as the Community Development Block Grant Committee. These organizations serve as a collaborative network of community partners committed to the importance of early childhood education for our community today, and its impact on the prosperity of our region in the future. Because of these collaborative partnerships that elevate the awareness and importance of community needs such as early childcare, the United Way of North Idaho recently received $50,000 from Community Development Block Grants in childcare scholarships through the City of Coeur d’Alene.

Partners:

United Way of North Idaho
ALICE Childcare Committee, Idaho STARS, Head Start, Early Head Start, School Plus, North Idaho College Children’s Center, Area School Districts, parent cooperatives, and area businesses