FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Spokane Workforce Council Surpasses One Million in Direct Childcare Tuition Assistance to Families in Spokane County
Spokane Workforce Council
140 S Arthur St., Suite 300A
Spokane, WA 99202
Spokane, WA – October 4, 2024 – Spokane Workforce Council (SWC) is proud to announce that its Reconnect2Work initiative has provided over one million in direct childcare tuition assistance to families throughout Spokane County since starting in February of 2023. This milestone demonstrates SWC’s commitment to supporting working parents, helping them balance career and family responsibilities. The program is partially funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) through Spokane County, Congressionally Directed Spending allocation from U.S. Senator Patty Murray’s office, and ARPA funds through the City of Spokane and Community Minded Enterprises.
SWC’s Reconnect2Work initiative offers crucial financial assistance, including childcare support, to help families attain financial stability and allow parents to stay focused on their employment or education goals without worrying about the high costs of daycare.
Bianka DeSure, Program Coordinator at SWC, expressed the organization’s dedication to Spokane families: “We are so happy to be able to provide this level of support. By helping families cover childcare costs, we allow parents to remain secure in their jobs, knowing their children’s care won’t be interrupted. This assistance allows families to build a path toward financial sustainability.”
The positive impact of this program is evident in the heartfelt testimonials from Spokane County families:
- “Childcare assistance has helped me reliably be at work each day… this has and continues to profoundly impact my family’s financial well-being.”
- “Daycare cost alone is more than our rent for our home. Without the assistance from this grant, I don’t know where we would be or how we would manage; we have been working on setting goals and trying to achieve the best situation possible for our family. I am beyond grateful for everything that your organization does to help families like ours with childcare costs.”
- “The Reconnect2Work program is a blessing… it came to me at a time when I felt powerless. It brings me peace of mind knowing that my children are at a safe place that they know and love. It will allow me to continue teaching special education, a career I am passionate about… this has given me so much more than childcare. It gives me a better quality of life. It gives my children a more joyful and present mother and reduces the stress and responsibilities I have had to ask others to pick up for me.”
Jennifer Talbert, Director of Crayon College, a childcare center involved in the program, emphasized the wide-reaching effects of Reconnect2Work: “[Reconnect2Work] has helped so many families!!!”
This accomplishment underscores SWC’s role as a leading workforce development organization dedicated to improving the lives of Spokane County’s residents through innovative programs like Reconnect2Work. By focusing on supporting parents in the workforce, SWC continues to promote economic opportunity and well-being for all.
For more information about the Spokane Workforce Council and the Reconnect2Work program, visit www.reconnect2work.org or contact Bianka DeSure at bdesure@spokaneworkforce.org.
About SWC
Spokane Workforce Council (SWC) and its WorkSource Spokane Campus (WorkSource Spokane, Next Generation Zone, and Talent Solutions by WorkSource Spokane) are the local workforce development authorities and provide assistance to the community through employment resources and support. As a proud partner of the American Job Center Network, SWC and its WorkSource Spokane Campus are equal opportunity employers/programs. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Washington Relay 711.
