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Greenville First Steps

COVID-19 Impact

A report by the Institute for Child Success on the initial economic impact of COVID-19 on South Carolina’s child care sector found that nearly half (48%) of centers are closed across the state. The same study also found that one-third of centers cannot financially weather a closure of any length of time and another third cannot quantify how long they would be able to handle a closure.

Emergency Fund

Greenville First Steps launched an emergency fund to support home-based child care providers in South Carolina. The fund provides one-time grants of up to $1,900 to 150 providers in rural and urban areas. The funding covers approximately two weeks of expenses and can be used to pay for necessities like rent, electricity, and food.

Home Grown is a national collaborative of funders committed to improving the quality of and access to home-based child care with a mission to increase access to and the quality of home-based child care. 

Grandmother and granddaughter together outdoors

A Love Letter to FFN Caregivers

From presidential candidate Kamala Harris to Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, many leaders credit home-based child care providers with raising them up and saving their careers. In celebration of FFN Appreciation Week, we spoke with three distinguished leaders in the child care sector to hear how their experiences with FFN care shaped who they are today.
Deb Young 1

Caring for Kids and Empowering Communities: Grandmothers Make the World a Better Place

Deborah Young, a grandmother from Boulder, Colorado, has spent decades caring for children and empowering communities. Through her experience as a single mother and educator, she has supported immigrant and refugee women, helping them turn caregiving into sustainable businesses. Her community-driven approach focuses on connection, trust, and collective wisdom to nurture both children and communities. Young’s lifelong mission exemplifies the power of home-based child care in transforming lives.
Child Sitting

We Can’t Forget Home-based Child Care Providers as We Celebrate National Black Business Month

Black home-based child care providers, who are often overlooked but vital to their communities. These caregivers not only nurture children but also provide education and resources to families in need. Despite their essential work, they face significant challenges, including low wages and outdated reimbursement systems. We need policy changes to better support these small businesses.