Thank you! It’s on my to-do list to watch this week, and I’ve sent it to the national org that was curious about it, along with your contact information.

How do we learn more about the MN childcare film? I ask for me/us but also bc I mentioned it to a national organization & funders collab & they want to know all about it 😃.

He truly is! We’re lucky to have the duo we have at work on this series 🥰

vimeo.com/814699053?sh... right here! For now the link is in our bio. Once the 1st Kenai Peninsula episode is published we’ll have to create a LinkTree or playlist link to both episodes — & so on as we publish more.

Ppl from Philadelphia have shared that Bailey & Tracey’s story of struggling through arcane licensure processes & Alison, Jerri, Cory, & Chantal’s stories of trying to find childcare are so similar to stories of home-based providers & stories of families across the US. Alaska has so much to offer.

The childcare was paid for by sponsor SEIU 775, the home caregivers union. Food was paid for by additional sponsors GCI, KPB Architects, Northstar Group, & Geneva Woods Birth Center, w/ chairs & event support by RurAL CAP. Location was donated by Akela Space.

Importantly, at this screening we provided on-site childcare by licensed providers Hillcrest Children’s Center, and dinner for all guests. We recognize that in order for policy & politics to be accessible to those affected by it, it needs to account for parents & children & their basic needs.

Importantly, at this screening we provided on-site childcare by licensed providers Hillcrest Children’s Center, and dinner for all guests. We recognize that in order for policy & politics to be accessible to those affected by it, it needs to account for parents & children & their basic needs.

What a perfect photo!

It was inspiring to see a hospital build on community needs assessments & coalition efforts in this way, see that their leadership’s lived experiences match those of employees enough to know why this is a necessity for their employees. & see the work (& money) going into making it happen for 60 kids

That outmigration pattern is true both at the KPB level & the statewide level. Alaska is losing families w/ children under 10. The KPB population is growing but that is being led by retirees; until families w/ kids have their needs met, they may keep leaving. Childcare is critical to keep them.

The tl;dr version is: the Kenai Peninsula Borough is experiencing workforce shortages that make it hard for tourism businesses, restaurants, healthcare, etc. to be fully staffed, & lack of childcare is a major contributor. Families w/ young children have higher rates of outmigration than others.

Thank you for watching!!! We are hard at work editing the first of the Kenai Peninsula series (rural but much less rural) and that one will also focus on licensing. It sort of picks up chronologically where the Kotzebue one left off. And then next up is an episode on cost.