Grand Rapids, Mich., Tuesday, February 20, 2024 - Michigan is facing a crisis, with the lack of affordable childcare limiting family earnings, jeopardizing business growth, and constraining the state’s economy. The SOURCE participated in a recent community study led by Vibrant Futures and The Right Place, with SOURCE Executive Director Alison Freas serving on the Regional Planning Coalition, to better understand the challenges associated with childcare from the perspectives of employers and employees. Top issues to emerge from the study included the cost of childcare; availability/access to childcare providers; misalignment between childcare provider hours, work schedules, school schedules/the need for before- and after-school care; and the challenges employers face in offering equitable childcare benefits to diverse populations. The coalition will use the findings from this study to identify and prioritize action steps we can take to address childcare-related issues in West Michigan and across the state. This is a community challenge, and it will take all of us, working together, to address the multifaceted issues surrounding childcare. We’re excited to represent our employer network in partnership with Vibrant Futures, The Right Place, and others committed to creating the changes working families need to thrive in West Michigan.