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Marti Beard is a fifth-generation rancher in addition to being vice president of early childhood programs of Nebraska Children and Families Foundation. She knows her state inside and out and is accustomed to some Nebraskans who express the belief that mothers of young children should stay at home instead of working outside the home. That, Beard says, is a reliable place for starting any conversation. 鈥淥ne thing we all agree on is the importance of having a great beginning.鈥�

When she engages in further conversation, she finds that everyone knows single moms and nontraditional families that don鈥檛 fit the stereotype of rural America. The state鈥檚 meatpacking industry, for example, , including many immigrants and refugees.

Like virtually every other state, Nebraska is enduring a critical child care shortage. The gap was already holding families back from work pre-pandemic but the past two years have brought awareness of the issue to Nebraskans who hadn鈥檛 considered it before.

The pandemic has also deepened the crisis in every community Beard visits. The data back up her observation. According to , the state鈥檚 supply of child care slots totals 92,780, but 112,410 children have the potential need for child care.

Beard leads Nebraska Child and Families Foundation鈥檚 (C4K), launched in 2017 with funding from the Buffett Early Childhood Fund and the William & Ruth Scott Family Foundation. The initiative addresses shortages of high-quality early childhood care and education programs by supporting the creation and implementation of child care solutions that incorporate both capacity and quality.

The C4K process is designed to cultivate and galvanize a core team in the community and to expand outward, gathering momentum. Usually, it starts with women who want to join the workforce but can鈥檛 without child care. They engage anyone who will listen 鈥� the mayor, the police chief, business owners and bankers. Hospitals and colleges can leverage their power within a community. Beard and her team of four facilitate dialogue among public and private organizations and work toward a goal developed in partnership with all these stakeholders.

At the moment, 42 Nebraska communities are developing child care plans. Some are building centers; others are enhancing care in informal settings or expanding opportunities for training and licensure. 鈥淲e never have a preset plan,鈥� Beard says. 鈥淥r we do, but as we bring more people to the table and incorporate all the data, the plan will change a hundred times.鈥�

All the listening and organizing can take time鈥攁s long as three years from start to finish鈥攂ut Beard believes that鈥檚 what makes the difference between a project the community will use and one that stands empty. Among recent advances in C4K communities:

• City leaders in Lexington are working together to build a child care center to support Latino and Somali families.
• Red Willow County hired an early childhood coordinator and has increased child care capacity by 60 children.
• Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird challenged residents to match a $500,000 city donation to the Lincoln Littles fundraising drive as it seeks to raise $1 million for early childhood scholarships.
• Norfolk public schools offer support, training and curricula to all preschool programs through the Power of Preschool initiative.
• Stuart, population 574, has final plans to build an early childhood development center adjacent to the public school.

As Beard sees it, 鈥淢ore and more Nebraskans believe in early education, and we鈥檝e seen its priority increase, even compared to issues like housing and jobs.鈥� She says the business community has taken a special interest as they realize the workforce ramifications. 鈥淧eople aren鈥檛 going to move to your community if you don鈥檛 have child care,鈥� Beard points out. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not going to stay there if you don鈥檛 have it.鈥�

Beard introduced me to Jay Wolf, owner of Wagonhammer Ranch and an unlikely champion of early child care in Albion, Nebraska. Wolf鈥檚 children are grown, and in an average day, he sees more cows than people, but he was convinced by Beard鈥檚 arguments about making Albion attractive to today鈥檚 and tomorrow鈥檚 employees. And he recognizes quality early education鈥檚 importance to a community. 鈥淚f we don鈥檛 help them get ready for kindergarten,鈥� he says, 鈥渢hey will still be behind when they graduate high school 鈥� if they graduate at all.鈥�

Wolf and his wife Susie contributed $250,000, which helped build Boone Beginnings Family and Child Development Center, which now serves 16 children, with plans for 64 more over the next three years. He says 80% of the funding came from local sources, while the rest came from the Sherwood and Scott foundations. He鈥檚 proud that the center has a sustainable business plan and credits Beard for her steady guidance. 鈥淭his took a diverse range of leaders,鈥� he says, 鈥渂ut we couldn鈥檛 have done it without Marti.鈥�

This story originally published on Early Learning Nation and is now archived on 蜜桃影视. Learn more here.