Harvey County Childcare Task Force

06/17/2026

Calling all providers! Take the 2026 Kansas Market Rate Survey to help inform decisions about childcare funding, reimbursement rates, and support for providers across the state.

Communities, partners, and advocates: We need your help! 🤝

The 2026 Kansas Child Care Market Rate Survey is now open, and participation from child care providers across Kansas is critical. If you work with providers, please help spread the word and encourage them to complete the survey before June 29th.

Strong participation helps:
⭐ Capture the realities providers face
⭐ Inform reimbursement and funding discussions
⭐ Strengthen support for Kansas families and child care programs

Together, we can help ensure every child care provider's voice is heard.
Learn more and share the survey: https://allinforkansaskids.org/2026-child-care-market-rate-study/

06/03/2026

Every kid deserves a full plate this summer. 🍎

Free breakfast and lunch are available all summer for every child ages 1–18 — no cost, no registration. It's one less thing for families to worry about, and one more way our community shows up for its kids.

📅 June 8 – July 24 · Mon–Fri · meals eaten on-site
📍 Sunset Elementary (619 Boyd Ave) — Breakfast 8–8:30 a.m., Lunch 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
🚐 Mobile lunch: Athletic Park Shelter (11–11:30), Springlake Splash Park (11:50–12:20), 10th & Ash Park (12:40–1:10)

Times and sites can change — check back for updates. Share with a family who could use it.

05/29/2026

What an honor for the Harvey County Childcare Task Force to receive this recognition. Thank you to all our Task Force members and for the community partnerships we’ve been able to develop through this work.

We love celebrating child care champions in action, and the Harvey County Child Care Task Force coalition really knocked it out of the park! 🎉

This coalition received the Child Care Community Champion Award, presented by Child Start! Pictured left to right is Dalton Black, Executive Director at UWHMC (Coalition Lead) and Amanda Lowe, Director of Development & Marketing for UWHMC (Coalition Co-Lead).

We are so thankful for the vital work of people like the Harvey County Child Care Task Force and Child Start! 🙏

05/18/2026

Harvey County is on the list! 🙌

Child Care Aware of Kansas launched the Family Child Care Expansion Project and we're one of the selected counties.

If you know someone who's ever thought about opening a home-based child care business, now is the time. Coaching, licensing support, business resources, and mentorship are available at no cost.

Know someone? Have them reach out:
📧 [email protected]

Tag them below. 👇
🔗

Kansas Family Child Care Expansion Project brings more child care providers to Kansas by offering incentives to potential new providers.

05/15/2026

Many see employers as part of the solution for helping parents find and afford childcare.

The program offers up to 75% in tax credits on money spent by Kansas employers to provide on-site childcare, help their employees find childcare, or help employees to cover the cost of childcare.

Find the link to the full story below ⬇️

04/10/2026

The Harvey County Childcare Task Force is now accepting applications for our 2026 Childcare Workforce Stabilization Grants.

These grants are designed to help licensed childcare centers in Harvey County strengthen and stabilize their workforce through direct staff compensation strategies such as wage supplements, retention bonuses, recruitment bonuses, and other incentives that support quality early childhood care.

Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on May 15, 2026, and awards will be announced on or around June 10, 2026.

Visit https://bit.ly/3Oj5Rm9 to access the application and budget worksheet.

03/30/2026

What a great weekend at our 2026 Childcare Provider Networking Conference.

We were thrilled to welcome more than 20 childcare providers from Harvey, Marion, and McPherson Counties for a time of connection, learning, and encouragement. Thank you to every provider who took time out of your busy schedules to join us and invest in the important work you do every day for children and families.

A special thank you to Ms Kristin • New Creation Preschool for sharing an amazing session and helping make the conference such a meaningful experience. We are also deeply grateful to the Childcare Task Force members whose hard work and collaboration made this event possible.

This opportunity was made possible through funding from the Childcare Zones Grant through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and All In For Kansas Kids, with support from United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties.

Thank you for helping strengthen childcare in our communities.