Women helping women

What began in 1979 as a group of women gathering together to socialize and drink wine has evolved into a nonprofit foundation that provides statewide financial support for quality childcare and early childhood education.

The Women's Caring Program (WCP) believes every child deserves a chance to be successful in life, regardless of income. When children fail to get good, quality care prior to kindergarten, they often trail behind their classmates and many don’t ever catch up. This academic disadvantage can impact the rest of their lives.

WCP’s ChildCare Commitment program helps low-income working families cover part of the cost of licensed childcare and early education expenses. In order to qualify, recipients cannot receive assistance through any other source, including government assistance. At least one parent or guardian also has to be working full time or going to college full time, or both. Mostly single moms benefit from the program but there are some two-parent families who qualify.

The program is geared toward the working poor -- those who make too much to qualify for government assistance, but not enough to afford quality care for their children.

“We used to call it falling through the cracks,” says Maureen McNulty Saxton, a Women’s Caring Program board member. “The cracks are now such potholes.”

The ChildCare Commitment program pays 40 percent of the annual childcare and early education costs for one child under the age of five. The maximum reimbursement for one year is $2,544 and participants have to reapply each year.

With the annual cost for childcare in Michigan averaging $6,400, having 40 percent covered can make a dramatic difference in a family’s budget.

The WCP’s ChildCare Commitment program provides disadvantaged children an opportunity to get on the right path early in life so they have the tools necessary to succeed later on. So far, more than 1,000 families have benefitted from the financial assistance.

McNulty Saxton says the program “takes us back to our roots of women helping women.”

To honor and celebrate this tradition, WCP hosts a series of summer garden parties throughout the state called Twilight Gatherings. The Grand Rapids women’s Twilight Gathering is on August 22 from 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the home of Marge Byington Potter. Tickets are $75 for this elegant night of food, wine and friendship.

To get more involved with the Women's Caring Program, here are some ideas:
-    Visit Women’s Caring Program online to find out more about the organization.
-    RSVP for the August 22 Twilight Gathering via email or by registering online.
-    Make a donation to support the care and early education of a child.
-    Volunteer your time.
-    Like them on Facebook.
-    Follow @wcprogram on Twitter.

Source: Maureen McNulty Saxton, Women’s Caring Program Board Member and one of the co-hostesses of the Grand Rapids Twilight Gathering

Writer: Heidi Stukkie, Do Good Editor

Photos provided by the Women’s Caring Program.