Paying for child care is a burden for many Maine families and the Catholic Foundation of Maine partnered with the Sisters of St. Joseph’s to help alleviate that burden.
“We’re hoping this will grow,” Sister Judy Donovan of the Sisters of St. Joseph’s said.
When her organization received a gift from the Father Arthur J. Dubé-Emma J. Rossignol Child Care Endowment, they wanted to be sure it went to Maine families in a way that would truly benefit them. Particularly the families who make too much money to receive general assistance but not enough money to be self-sufficient.
“Maybe it’s a family that they’re wanting to go back to school to get a degree or certificate program and they just cannot pay for child care and take off time to study so that’s the group we wanted to target,” Sister Judy said.
“I was able to go back and get my diploma. I was able to enroll into college, right now I am earning my credentials for my health science certificate for raspatory therapy and I was also able to receive my medical assistant certificate,” Miranda Prime, a Waterville mom of three said.
Her kids are enrolling in KVCAP programs in Waterville. She said she has received a variety of scholarships for child care to reach her career goals.
“When you get a little bit of help and a lot of encouragement and the support that we have here the sky truly is the limit,” Prime added.
For families to be eligible for this funding, they either need to be working or pursuing an education. It is ultimately up to KVCAP and Community Concepts to decide how they use this funding.
[Educare Central Maine is operated by KVCAP]