04-05-2025
Regional child care task force gets funding boost
The One Foundation has awarded Phase II of strategic grant funding to expand child care access in Fayette County, building on a growing movement for community-driven solutions to a lingering problem.
The funding is critical because affordable, quality child care availability is showing no improvement, proponents say.
According to a press release, the next phase of funding is also expected to pave the way for broader impact across neighboring counties in southern West Virginia.
The funding will be distributed over the next three years to a regional task force launched in late 2024. The Together We Grow Southern WV Task Force is led by Melissa Colagrosso, owner of Lochgelly-based A Place To Grow Children's Center and founder of Together We Grow. The task force was established to address the growing child care crisis in the region, in which thousands of children are at risk of losing access to essential early learning opportunities, according to a press release.
By coalescing community leaders, educators, business owners and residents, the task force's aim is to develop 'long-term, community-based solutions to strengthen the region's child care infrastructure and ensure a brighter future for West Virginia's children,' the release read in part.
The initiative is led by Together We Grow, in partnership with national child care consulting firm Child Care Biz Help, with fiscal support provided by the Fayette County Family Resource Network. Organizers extended special thanks to Diane Callison, the FRN executive director, for her leadership in securing funding that paved the way for the initiative.
'Child care is the foundation of a thriving community,' said Colagrosso, the project lead for Together We Grow. 'It enables parents to work, contributes to economic stability and nurtures the next generation.
'Providers are facing serious challenges — such as staffing shortages, limited access and underfunded programs — that require bold, united action. That's what the Together We Grow initiative is all about.'
The grant, provided by the Beckley-based One Foundation, which was founded by Marz Attar, will allow the task force to pursue several key goals, including:
• Expanding child care access in Fayette and neighboring counties
• Engaging local employers as partners in building child care solutions that support working families
• Raising public awareness of the critical role early childhood education plays in social and economic outcomes
• Strengthening policy and legislative advocacy for child care investment across the state
• Building a sustainable infrastructure to deliver lasting improvements to the region's child care system.
The press release referred to a recent report by West Virginia Watch that highlighted the absence of a concrete state plan to address the looming child care crisis. To that end, the Together We Grow Southern WV Task Force aims to step in to help fill the void and offer actionable recommendations to local and state policymakers, representatives say.
The task force welcomes individuals and organizations committed to addressing the region's child care crisis. Community leaders, employers, educators, human resources professionals and concerned citizens are encouraged to lend their voices, ideas and expertise to the effort.
Colagrosso on Thursday said the deficit of affordable child care that is accessible for families is still a major hindrance to success in the region.
'Where's your child care infrastructure?' she asked. 'If you don't have child care, how can people work?
'If we can't get people to work, we can't get businesses to come here.'
Figures supplied by Colagrosso indicate that over 150 child care providers in West Virginia have closed since January 2023. New ones of substantial size have not been forthcoming, she pointed out. 'The problem is still the same; the subsidy system is still broken.' That, she said, creates a 'no-win situation.'
The One Foundation grant will provide seed money, and outreach will be ongoing to attempt to secure other funding avenues. The task force will share findings and recommendations publicly.
To get involved by joining the task force, visit Individuals can also volunteer to assist with outreach to local businesses and community partners. 'Together We Grow' yard signs are available to display, and campaign materials are available to distribute to increase visibility of the issue, according to the release.
'We're really, really working hard to get employers involved,' Colagrosso said.
In the most recent legislation session, Colagrosso said, 'We did manage to hold our own,' adding, 'We need West Virginia to prioritize it. It has to become a priority for the State of West Virginia.'
Potential cuts to Head Start could worsen the outcomes even more, Colagrosso said. 'Head Start serves child care for working families in a lot of communities,' she said. 'It's going to worsen this crisis in child care.
'We are advocating strongly that our rural communities have to continue with their Head Start programs.'
A series of conversations on child care is scheduled for eight locations around the state, beginning with an event May 13 at the Lively Family Amphitheater in Oak Hill. It will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The event will offer 'a chance for everybody in the community' to get involved, said Colagrosso.
Other stops will include Lewisburg (Hollowell Park, May 14, 6 to 7:30 p.m.), as well as events in Bridgeport, Morgantown, Wheeling, Barboursville, Scott Depot and Martinsburg.
