Child Care Connections Inc

CHILD CARE CONNECTIONS ADVOCATES FOR THE WELL-BEING AND QUALITY CARE OF CHILDREN BY SUPPORITING EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS, FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE.

COVID-19 AND EMERGENCY PROGRAM:CCC IS A COMMUNITY LEADER IN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS SPECIFIC TO YOUNG CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. WHILE NAVIGATING AN EVER-CHANGING PANDEMIC DURING THE 2021 PROGRAM YEAR, CCC OFFERED CRITICAL SUPPORT TO FAMILIES AND CHILD CARE PROVIDERS. FUNDED BY DONORS, STATE, AND FEDERAL RELIEF, CCC PROVIDED SERVICES INCLUDING $142,500 GROCERY AND PERSONAL CARE ITEM STIPENDS DISTRIBUTED TO 475 LOW-INCOME FAMILIES ENROLLED IN THE BEST BEGINNINGS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, $35,500 IN LOST WAGES AND COVID-19 MITIGATION EXPENSES TO 71 AREA CHILD CARE PROVIDERS, AND $8,362 IN EMERGENCY SUPPLIES TO GUARDIAN CHILD CARE PROGRAMS THAT CARE FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS' CHILDREN DURING TIMES OF COMMUNITY DISASTER OR EMERGENCY. ADDITIONALLY, WE ADMINISTERED $1,106,625 IN SUMMER CARE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN GIVEN TO 616 AREA FAMILIES TO HELP WITH CHILD CARE COSTS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.

RESOURCE AND REFERRAL PROGRAM:AS A CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL AGENCY (CCR&R), CHILD CARE CONNECTIONS (CCC) OFFERS PROGRAMMING THAT SUPPORTS FAMILIES AND EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS. THIS IS DONE BY ADMINISTERING THE BEST BEGINNINGS CHILD CARE SCHOLARSHIP (BBS) WHICH OFFERS FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO INCOME-ELIGIBLE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS TO PAY FOR CHILD CARE WHILE THEY ARE WORKING OR IN SCHOOL. IN ADDITION, CCC ADMINISTERS THE STARS TO QUALITY PROGRAM WHICH SERVES AS MONTANA'S CHILD CARE QUALITY RATING SYSTEM. DURING THE 2021 PROGRAM YEAR 750 CHILDREN AND 496 FAMILIES IN OUR SERVICE AREA RECEIVED SAFE LICENSED CHILD CARE BECAUSE OF THE BBS EACH MONTH. ADDITIONALLY, WE ASSISTED 186 CHILD CARE PROVIDERS IN BECOMING OR MAINTAINING LICENSES AND OFFERING SAFE CARE TO 5,175 AREA CHILDREN. TO DO THIS OUR STAFF PROVIDED 1,184 HOURS OF COACHING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF CARE GIVEN TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. TO FURTHER ASSIST PROVIDERS, WE ADMINISTERED $56,872 IN PROVIDER GRANTS TO OFFSET COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH EXPANDING OR BECOMING LICENSED CHILD CARE PROGRAMS.

CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM:THE CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM (CACFP) REIMBURSES PARTICIPATING LICENSED CHILD CARE PROVIDERS FOR SERVING HEALTHY MEALS TO THE CHILDREN IN THEIR CARE. BY ADMINISTERING THE CACFP LOCAL CHILD CARE PROVIDERS RECEIVED $333,861 IN REIMBURSEMENT FOR 241,285 NUTRITIOUS MEALS THAT WERE SERVED TO CHILDREN IN CARE. BEYOND SERVING HEALTHY MEALS, THIS PROGRAM ALSO OFFERS SUPPORT TO CHILD CARE PROVIDERS AND FAMILIES INCLUDING NUTRITION EDUCATION AND BASIC CULINARY EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN.

IN THE 2021 PROGRAM YEAR, CCC OFFERED A VARIETY OF WRAP AROUND SERVICES. THROUGH OUR SAFETY PROGRAM WE DISTRIBUTED 376 BIKE HELMETS TO THE COMMUNITY AND CONDUCTED 18 CAR SEAT INSTALLATIONS FOR FAMILIES. THROUGH OUR EMERGENCY CHILD CARE SCHOLARSHIP, WE PROVIDED $8,250 TO 11 FAMILIES TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILD CARE NEEDS DURING A TIME OF HARDSHIP SO THAT THEY COULD REMAIN IN THE WORKFORCE.