The board of directors of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation agreed last week to allocate $125,000 towards tuition payments for licensed early childhood development centers in Watauga County. The funds are for the month of October.
According to Boone Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO David Jackson, who commented on the action in a recent press release, "Our foundation board felt this was a direct way to ensure stability in the critical early childhood industry while also freeing up cash for families to cover other storm-related expenses at this time.".
The BACCF has been gathering contributions that will be used to stabilize and aid the business community after Hurricane Helene. The first round of allocations is due to be made to the Children's Council of Watauga County.
According to a press release, Elisha Childers, the executive director of the CCWC, stated that this donation by the foundation has helped save lives by allowing childcare centers to continue paying their staff during facility closure.".
"These are businesses that are already struggling to survive. Providers have been so worried not only for themselves but for their workers," Childers said. "I don't even have words to fully describe what this truly means to this community. Thank you to all who have contributed and made this possible. It is overwhelming generosity."
As the schools remain closed and the parents report back to work, this will be an issue: child care. On local radio station WATA, Childers said, "We know of at least three child care centers that have flooded, and we've been digging them out so they can get back online and in operation soon."
