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About
NGage Communities for Kids Initiative
The Communities for Kids (C4K) initiative was created in response to community requests for assistance with shortages of high-quality early care and education programs — shortages that both impact children’s optimal development and pose a challenge for communities hoping to attract and retain the viable workforce they need to thrive. NGage is working with our community partners to solve this pressing challenge.
The C4K initiative aims to partner with communities’ public and private entities to support and coordinate planning for access to high-quality early care and education for all children birth through age five.
From its start in 2021 to present day, C4K has been spearheaded by NGage as a workforce initiative. Gage County C4K has grown in its mission and urgency in that time, so NGage will soon be launching a new non-profit from which the C4K initiative can continue to grow, called the Gage County Childcare Collaborative! Look for information to come on this exciting new organization and please reach out to us if you have interest in serving in some way toward the childcare efforts in Gage County.
Gage County C4K
The Gage County C4K Committee is comprised of a diverse group of local minds passionate about solving the childcare crisis here at home. Committee members represent a number of different industries, including public education, non-profit and local leadership, and finance.
In addition to local partnerships, Gage County C4K is proud to partner with these statewide organizations in our childcare efforts:
Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services
FAQ
- Why is childcare important to NGage? One of the core missions of NGage is to improve the communities in Gage County by retaining and growing our local businesses and increasing and improving a skilled workforce. Because of its strong focus on existing employers and workforce, it's important to ensure each have what they need to thrive. It's estimated that Gage County employers and families lose $5.8 million annually as a result of inadequate childcare. Employees deserve access to basic needs, like housing, healthcare, education, and childcare, while employers need access to a qualified and available workforce. It is at this intersection that NGage felt it necessary to get involved.
- Is lack of childcare really an issue in Gage County? Childcare is a national issue and, unfortunately, it's an issue we're experiencing right here in Gage County. At the start of the C4K initiative, Gage County had a childcare gap of nearly 400 children, meaning there were nearly 400 children aged 0-6 without access to licensed childcare due to a lack of providers or openings. Since the inception of this initiative in 2021, numerous providers have closed their doors (most due to retirement) and only a few have opened in their place. As we work to close the fluctuating gap number, we do know that we must take a proactive approach to addressing the shortage; a reactive approach is no longer sustainable.
- What has Gage County C4K accomplished to date? To date, over $700,000 has been injected into the Gage County childcare industry, through the hiring of a Childcare Coordinator, direct payments and grants to providers, and various provider trainings.
- What's next? In Q4 2023, the NGage Board of Directors approved the creation of a new non-profit, tentatively called the Gage County Childcare Collaborative. This group will exclusively house the efforts of the Gage County Communities 4 Kids initiative and have its own board dedicated to continuing the work already started through and spearheaded by NGage.
