A challenge from Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird. It is the “Mayor’s Big Challenge for Lincoln Littles”, to encourage community support and donations during the 4th annual Lincoln Littles Giving Day on Wednesday, February 9th. This challenge promotes access to high quality early childhood care and education.
The City has identified $100,000 from Community Development Block Grant funds to contribute to Lincoln Littles. The Mayor is also challenging the community to match that amount.
“Childcare is fundamental to Lincoln’s economic resilience and inclusion,” said Mayor Gaylor Baird. “Supporting access to high-quality childcare has a long-term positive impact on our children, families, workforce, and our collective future.”
The Lincoln Littles initiative helps lower-income families by providing tuition assistance. The Lincoln Community Foundation launched the giving day 2019 in response to Prosper Lincoln’s community agenda and these findings from Lincoln Vital Signs:
About 77% of children under age six have all parents in the workforce compared to the nation average of 66.7%.
About 21% of Lincoln families with children under age six live in poverty or near poverty.
Lincoln parents at all income levels report expense as the biggest challenge to accessing high quality childcare.
In Nebraska, the annual cost of having an infant in childcare was more than the annual resident tuition and fees at UNL.
Lincoln Littles Giving Day has raised $2.4 million since its inception.
Donate or learn more at LincolnLittles.org.