The YWCA of Sweetwater County is pleased to announce the grant award of $25,000 from the Wyoming Community Foundations local Rock Springs Board. “We truly appreciate the Foundation and all of their hard work to build a better Wyoming. These funds will be used towards our Tuition Assistance program that helps our families afford quality childcare,” Kayla Mannikko, development director for the organization said.
YWCA is a nonprofit organization serving Sweetwater County with services that include quality childcare and preschool; domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and support; as well as free financial education. YWCA has worked for over forty years to support families and individuals who need dependable quality child care and education and believes these grant funds will strengthen the work being done.
YWCA’s tuition assistance program provides a sliding fee scale to parents based on their income. Parents with less income, often single parents, would pay only a small portion of the total cost of childcare. As the parent’s income increases the portion they pay increases.
YWCA receives some grant funding for the lowest income families, through a community services block grant, and they accept Wyoming Department of Family Services payments. However, YWCA has a commitment to helping all families who qualify under the sliding fee scale. If grant funds are depleted or the family does not qualify for CSBG or DFS, YWCA will use their own reserves to cover the expense not met by tuition.
YWCA can take up to 90 children in the childcare. Currently, 41% of children at YWCA utilize the tuition assistance program.
YWCA focuses on school readiness and developmentally centered experiences, which prepares children for their future. The organization ensure at all of the students have access to high quality learning opportunities through creative curriculum which includes STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). YWCA recognizes the importance of physical education and each of our classrooms has an outdoor playground as part of the curriculum.
The cost of childcare can be a challenge for most families. According to the Wyoming Self-Sufficiency Standard for Sweetwater County, childcare likely will cost a family more than what they pay a month for housing. With tuition assistance more families can receive quality care at an affordable cost. The funds from the Wyoming Community Foundation is essential to families in Sweetwater County.
“YWCA wants to provide quality early childhood education to all in the community no matter household income.” Jenn Vegors, childcare director at YWCA said. “The Tuition Assistance Program helps families give their children the early education they need no matter financial status.”
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