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COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — United Way North Idaho says Coeur d’Alene families are struggling to afford childcare now more than ever, which is why it’s asking the city to approve changes that could bring more support to working families.
“A lot of people just don’t really realize how expensive childcare is out there,” said Sara Welch, the early learning coordinator with United Way.
Welch also oversees the non-profit’s childcare scholarship program, which aims to assist working families in Coeur d’Alene who struggle to afford necessities despite being employed.
Previously, the city allocated nearly $35,000 to support the program. Under the current agreement, the non-profit awards up to $350 a month, on average, to income-qualified families for a maximum of three months.
United Way says right now, childcare costs and the increased cost of living in the city significantly reduce the effectiveness of that support.
So the organization is now asking the Coeur d’Alene City Council to make the following changes to the city’s agreement:
United Way says the change wouldn’t require additional funds.
“We’re gonna continue taking all our applications, we’re not gonna be putting a cap on ‘only this many families can get it’ and stuff, it really is just trying to make sure we have that little bit of flexibility when it comes to greater needs,” said Welch.
Welch says the program has seen a major increase in applicants for childcare assistance in recent months, as many families no longer meet the newly adjusted income requirements to receive state assistance.
United Way says its proposed changes shouldn’t impact the total number of families it can award scholarships to and would allow it to offer more assistance to families with a higher level of need.
The program targets asset-limited, income-constrained, employed families (ALICE) families in Coeur d’Alene. City council will vote on United Way’s request at its meeting on Tuesday.