Op-Ed: Building a stronger tomorrow, together

Quality childcare – and enough of it – is an essential building block of a vibrant community, a strong workforce, and healthy kids who are prepared for school and success. However, Adams County is increasingly facing a childcare challenge. Currently, less than half (48%) of perceived childcare needs in Adams County can be met by our existing licensed capacity. That figure is down from 64% in 2018.

The Community Foundation has been investing in efforts to improve the quality and quantity of local childcare since 2007. But, it’s not enough, especially as the demand grows faster than supply. So, in early 2023, the Community Foundation began bringing together others who shared in our vision of consistent and quality childcare for all. Together, this group, now known as Adams County CAREs, is working on an effort that will invest half a million dollars into childcare workforce recruitment and retention efforts over the next several years – half of which is being invested by the Adams County Board through ARPA funding and half from philanthropic and private dollars. CAREs has already completed one effort in partnership with Kohl Wholesale, which put more than $50,000 in Kohl Cash & Carry gift cards into the hands of 88% of licensed childcare programs in Adams County.

Together, we do much more than any of us can do alone.

This story—along with countless others like it—demonstrates the importance of community foundations across the country, which are uniquely situated to improve their regions by supporting innovative solutions and creating powerful partnerships. From November 12 to 18, we celebrate Community Foundation Week, a time when we can share and reflect on the stories of impact over the last year.

Though you may not yet know your local community foundation, you’ve likely felt its impact. That’s because the Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri and 1,000+ other community foundations across the country help to bring resources and residents together. Community foundations work to support the efforts that help the places we call home continue to flourish and grow. 

Since 1997, the Community Foundation has distributed more than $18 million in grants to nonprofit organizations. Community foundations like ours depend on the generosity of many individual donors, businesses, and others to root, grow, and share the wealth for the good of all.

With this generosity, we help strengthen local nonprofit effectiveness through programs like the Nonprofit Excellence Initiative (a collaborative effort of the Quincy Area Funders Collaborative). We grow nonprofit leaders in Northeast Missouri through programs like Dare to Lead and nonprofit management training in partnership with the United Way of the Mark Twain Area. We help rural communities retain local wealth and keep it working for local causes through our County Endowment program. We help nonprofits build sustainability through endowment and provide seed money for new projects and much-needed operating dollars through our Community Grant program.

Bringing people and resources together to tackle pressing issues – and promising opportunities — affecting their communities helps build the understanding and empathy that leads to better and more lasting solutions.

As we enter the giving season, millions of people from every background will be looking to give back to the communities that have supported them. They will also look to ensure that their heartfelt giving—however they choose to give—will have the most impact. That’s why so many of them will choose to give to a community foundation.

A gift to your local community foundation is an investment in the future of your community. We like to say that community foundations are “here for good.” At the Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri, we don’t think just about the next quarter or year, we think about the next generation and the next after that.

During Community Foundation Week, I hope you will join us in recognizing our collective impact and the difference we can make in our region together – for good, forever.

For more information on Community Foundation Week visit www.cof.org/cfweek and follow #CommunityFNDWeek on Twitter. For more information about your local Community Foundation, contact Catherine Meckes at cmeckes@mycommunityfoundation.org or 217-222-1237 or visit www.mycommunityfoundation.org.