Answering the Call: Childcare Solutions for Working Families in Holmes County
Answering the Call: Childcare Solutions for Working Families in Holmes County
Imagine being a working parent in Holmes County with no safe, reliable place for your child before or after school.
No before- or after-school care options at all. Just a desperate patchwork of relatives, friends, or the rare in-home provider, if you can find one.
At United Way Wayne and Holmes Counties, we know community needs don’t get solved overnight. Every solution requires two things:
- A champion – someone to lead the work.
- Funding – because even the best solutions cost money.
Sometimes the same organization fills both roles. More often, it takes years of partnerships and persistence.
The Childcare Challenge
When I joined United Way in late 2018, one need rose to the surface quickly: childcare. Both Wayne and Holmes Counties face challenges, but Holmes County was especially hard hit.
In 2019, the Holmes Center for the Arts stepped up as a champion and launched before- and after-school programs at Millersburg and Killbuck Elementary Schools. Families finally had an option—until COVID disrupted everything and the program faded away.
Still, the calls from parents didn’t stop. Families were desperate, not just for childcare, but for affordable childcare.
A Champion Steps Forward
In early 2025, a group of concerned citizens rallied around this crisis. That’s when the YMCA of Wayne County stepped forward to become our champion- utilizing a group of concerned and caring community members as an advisory board.
And it was the right move. The YMCA of Wayne County has decades of experience, trained staff, and a proven track record in childcare. They know how to provide safe, credentialed before- and after-school care programs. Parents can focus on work knowing their kids are cared for.
But the second question remained: who will pay for it?
The Reality of Family Budgets
Some might say, “Parents should just pay for childcare.” But let’s look at the numbers.
A survival budget for a family of five (two adults, two school-aged children, one infant) earning $70,000 per year looks like this:
- Household income: $70,000
- Basic survival expenses: $87,600
- Budget gap: -$17,600
And that’s just for bare-bones needs like housing, food, transportation, and childcare. It doesn’t even include clothes, school supplies, internet access, or extracurricular activities.
Families are working hard, but the math simply doesn’t add up.
Side note: Who is Alice? Why does this reference an ALICE Household or ALICE Budget?
Our Role – We Help
That’s where United Way Wayne and Holmes Counties steps in. We work alongside the YMCA of Wayne County to provide childcare scholarships for families who are working but earning too much to qualify for government aid—and not nearly enough to make ends meet.
In August, our Board of Directors approved a $24,000 grant to the YMCA of Wayne County to launch affordable before- and after-school care in Millersburg. Thanks to this support, parents won’t have to choose between childcare and food.
But here’s the truth: $24,000 doesn’t last long. The need is bigger than one grant.
You Can Help too…
Every child deserves a safe place to learn and grow, and every parent deserves the peace of mind that their kids are cared for. You can be part of the solution.
- Donate: Text WeHelp to 44-321 or CLICK HERE to support families in our community.
- Get Involved: Interested in shaping the future of childcare locally? Contact ashley@uwwh.org to join the advisory committee.
Together, we can answer both questions: Who will be the champion? Who will pay for it?
With your support, the answer is all of us.
