Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation Announces Funding to Support Early Childcare Industry
Creation of annual October campaign will support childcare for childcare workers in Watauga County in 2025
In an ongoing effort to support the early childcare industry in Watauga County, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation (BACCF) made two significant fundraising announcements during a fundraising event Monday, August 4th, in Boone.
The BACCF announced its intention to host an annual October campaign for early childhood initiatives, with a 2025 goal to raise $50,000 to cover the October childcare tuition for early childcare workers in Watauga County, which coincides with a major North Carolina legislative priority within the industry. This announcement comes nearly a year after the Foundation distributed $206,000 toward tuition payments for children in Watauga County’s licensed early childhood centers following Hurricane Helene in October 2024.
“Supporting the workforce behind our workforce has been a staple priority of the Foundation since its inception,” said David Jackson, President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Early childcare advocacy groups have been working with the North Carolina General Assembly for years on demonstrating the job recruitment and retention benefits of providing tuition assistance to the early childcare workforce. Traditionally early childcare represents one of the lowest-paid industries in the state, yet without these businesses and their staff, millions of North Carolinians would be forced to exit their professions due to lack of available care. If we can provide this type of assistance in Watauga County, even for a month, perhaps this will show leaders around the state what the impact could look like in the other 99-counties.”
“Childcare workers do some of the most important work in our communities. They are teaching and fostering growth in our next generation of leaders. Yet too often, their work goes unseen and underappreciated,” said Halee Hartley, Owner of Kid Cove. “Locally, we’re in a prime position to change that by recognizing the value of childcare workers, honor their commitment, and ensure they receive the respect, pay, and support they truly deserve.”
The BACCF also announced that thanks to a combination of grants funds, support from the Watauga County Board of Commissioners, and private donations, the Foundation reached its goal to fully fund Pathways to Accreditation for the coming year.
Administered by The Children’s Council of Watauga County, Pathways to Accreditation is a local, high-quality program to support early childhood educators in Watauga County that includes training, mentoring, and evaluation for staff and licensed centers modeled after the accreditation standards set by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The purpose of the program is to improve early childhood settings by strengthening teacher-child interactions, increasing educator professionalism through mentoring and coaching, and promoting professional development and educational attainment goals.
While NAEYC accreditation usually comes at a high cost for early childcare centers, funding for Pathways to Accreditation provides this support free of charge for centers in Watauga County, along with support for staff education and compensation enhancement for centers that complete their accreditation. Currently 19 local childcare programs are enrolled in Pathways to Accreditation. In the past year the program provided direct support to center directors of these programs as well as 61 lead teachers who served 530 children who benefited from their professional growth.
"Our Childcare professionals provide a safe and nurturing environment for the kids in our community, and this program bolsters early education in Watauga County. Giving to early childhood education is an immediate and long term investment in our educators, workers, and children," said Ethan Dodson, Director of Development for the BACCF.
“Pathways to Accreditation is an innovative way to support our early childhood education programs in growing the quality of their centers,” said Elisha Childers, Executive Director of The Children’s Council of Watauga County.
“We achieve these goals by focusing on improving teachers’ skills and confidence in the classroom, so they are better able to deliver effective and positive one-on-one engagement with their students. Teachers also benefit from a high-quality early learning curriculum which helps them provide early learning experiences that support each child’s growth and development and readiness for kindergarten.”
The BACCF continues its effort to fundraise for early childcare initiatives through its Early Childhood Education & Development fund, while also working toward goals in housing and workforce development, along with capital support for the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. To make a donation, or for additional information, visit www.boonechamber.com/foundation or contact Ethan Dodson, Director of Development of Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, at ethan@boonechamber.com.