Harvey County Childcare Task Force

09/25/2026

United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties is only $50 away from unlocking the full match! A generous local donor is matching every gift made today, up to $500.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library mails a free book every month to 1,106 kids from birth to age five right here in Harvey and Marion Counties. For the families we advocate for, that's early learning showing up at home, no cost, no waitlist.

Today is Give Like Dolly Day. Help close the gap and double your impact: https://www.uwhmc.org/donation

This Friday is Give Like Dolly Day.

Dolly Parton spent more than 30 years putting books into the hands of children. Right here in Harvey and Marion Counties, that legacy lives on: 1,106 kids currently get a free book mailed to them every month through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

On September 25, The Dollywood Foundation is asking communities everywhere to give back, starting with their local Imagination Library.

PLUS, thanks for a very generous donor, all local donations made on 9/25 will be matched (up to $500)!

💙 Give here: https://www.uwhmc.org/donation
📖 Know a child who isn't signed up yet? Enroll here: uwhmc.org/dolly-parton-s-imagination-library

09/22/2026

The Harvey County Childcare Task Force has been awarded $44,000 through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation's Community Services Block Grant Discretionary program, with United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties serving as fiscal agent.

Kansas awarded just over $145,000 statewide this round, and we are grateful our community was part of it. The funding supports work to expand childcare access for Harvey County families, an issue this group has been digging into together for a while now.

Childcare shapes almost everything else. Whether a parent can take a shift, whether an employer can fill a role, whether a child starts kindergarten ready. Our Task Force partners have been clear-eyed about that, and this award is a real vote of confidence in the work ahead.

We will be sharing more in the coming months about what this makes possible. For now, thank you to KHRC, to United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties for stepping up for their partnership and leadership, and to every Task Force around the table who helped get us here.

More soon.

Five nonprofit community organizations across the state received awards to help low-income Kansans achieve stability and access economic opportunities.

09/12/2026

We’re looking for our next coordinator. Know someone who would be a good fit? Share this with them. We’re excited to keep doing this work in Harvey County.

WE'RE HIRING: Program Coordinator, Early Childhood Initiatives

Ask almost any working parent in Harvey County what's keeping them up at night and childcare will come up fast. It shapes whether families can take a job, whether employers can fill shifts, and whether kids start school ready to learn.

United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties is looking for someone to help us do something about it.

In this role, you'll:
📋 Coordinate the Harvey County Child Care Task Force, bringing together providers, schools, employers, and local government
📚 Run the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Harvey County, getting free books into the hands of young kids
📊 Track childcare supply, demand, and gaps so our community can make smart decisions
🤝 Represent United Way at community events and support advocacy for childcare access and affordability

You'd be a great fit if you're organized, follow through, and know how to get people with different priorities pulling in the same direction. A background in early childhood, social work, nonprofit work, or community engagement helps (1 to 3 years of experience).

The details:
📍 On-site in Newton, KS
⏰ Part-time, about 30 hours/week, with a flexible schedule
💵 $17.50 to $20.00/hour, depending on experience
✨ Paid holidays and professional development

To apply, send your resume and a cover letter to [email protected]. Full job description in the comments.

Know someone who'd be perfect for this? Tag them or share this post. 💙

08/27/2026

Child Care is Workforce Infrastructure.

This week, we sat down with business leaders, economic development partners, and childcare advocates from McPherson, Harvey, Marion, and Rice Counties for our Regional Child Care Business Summit at the McPherson Community Building.

Childcare isn't a side issue for employers, it's a workforce issue. When families can't find reliable care, businesses feel it in recruitment, retention, and the workforce showing up every day. This summit was about putting that connection on the table and giving employers real tools to respond, from available tax credits and incentives to what Child Care Zone work looks like in each of our four counties.

A huge thank you to everyone who showed up, shared ideas, asked questions, and helped move this conversation forward. Special thanks to our partners at the McPherson County Community Foundation, Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas, Child Care Aware of Kansas, John Trowbridge, and our regional partners.

07/16/2026

Behind every great classroom is a well-supported teacher.

Congratulations to Cardinal Kids Learning Academy, Community Playschool, Inc., Little Railers Daycare , and Hesston Community Childcare Association on being selected to receive 2026-2027 Childcare Workforce Stabilization Grants, made possible in partnership with United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties.

This funding goes straight to the people. Real wage support, recruitment and retention bonuses, and stipends for the staff who show up for our youngest kids every day.

Great child care starts with valued teachers. We're proud to invest in all four of these teams.

Together we support. Together we thrive. Together we invest. Together we grow.

07/15/2026

We are excited to share that Bri Gobel has joined United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties as our new Program Coordinator for Early Childhood Initiatives! Bri brings valuable experience in childcare and early education, and she'll be working closely with this task force, local providers, and area families to help move our shared priorities forward.

Welcome to the team!

Please join us in welcoming Bri Gobel to the United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties team!

Bri has joined us as our new Program Coordinator for Early Childhood Initiatives, bringing valuable experience in childcare and early education to the role. She is passionate about supporting the families, providers, and educators who make up our early childhood community, and she's looking forward to building strong relationships across Harvey and Marion Counties.

In this role, Bri will work directly with childcare providers, parents, and area businesses to identify challenges, share resources, and develop solutions that support quality early childhood education for local families. Her goal is to make sure providers and parents alike have a voice in shaping the future of childcare in our community.

We're excited for the energy, insight, and dedication Bri brings to this work. If you see her out in the community, be sure to say hello and introduce yourself!

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.