MISSOULA — An opportunity for anyone in Missoula seeking childcare options is happening at 6 p.m. on June 13, 2024.
As childcare is becoming increasingly harder to find and more expensive, The Missoula Child Care Advantage (MCCA) is hosting an open house.
"The traditional child care model in our country and community is broken, it costs too much to provide a service that too few people can afford and there's not enough of it and there's a lot of turnover because it pays so poorly and that affects quality," CEO of United Way of Missoula, Susan Hay Patrick told MTN.
Operating through Zero to Five — which is part of United Way of Missoula County — the organization has two main objectives.
"A short-term goal of improving the availability of high-quality child care and the long-term goal is stabilizing the childcare industry," Hay Patrick shared.
The open house is a one-stop shop for those in need of childcare. People can take tours of the facility and connect with six different providers in one location.
"Visit the child care providers, talk to them if you're looking for child care for your preschooler," said Hay Patrick.
MCCA works by partnering with businesses. They offer those workers easier access to care for their kids. The organization believes that by allowing businesses to buy into the model, they can get quality child care in return.
"The beauty is in the model, the shared services model. So, oftentimes businesses or developers say I'd like to offer child care," Hay Patrick explained. "I have the space but I don't know how to make it pencil out. They could offer it to [care] providers who could join Missoula Child Care Advantage."
She also detailed that since member businesses pay for MCCA's services, childcare providers can get better wages and more support.
The event begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 13 at the former Cold Springs Elementary School which is located at 2625 Briggs Street in Missoula.
