Hawaii Community Foundation

COVID-19 Impact

As of mid-April, over 21% of Hawaii’s labor force filed unemployment claims, putting Hawaii at one of the highest state-wide rates of unemployment due to the pandemic. Just 30% of childcare providers were open, but they are serving far fewer children than pre-pandemic. Of the remaining 70%, many are unsure if they will reopen or know how they will financially manage.

Emergency Fund

Hawaii Community Foundation has launched the Home-Based Child Care (HBCC) Emergency Fund, powered by the Hawaii Resilience Fund (HRF), to provide relief to licensed home-based child care providers across Hawaii. The Fund is intended to support child care providers currently serving health heroes and other essential workers. The Fund also seeks to lessen the potential for permanent closure of child care, especially in areas where home-based care is the primary option for families. The awards recognize the key role child care professionals play in helping our island communities weather the COVID-19 crisis and ease the burden on providers so that their focus can be on caring for children and families and themselves. In May, HCF awarded 125 grants to licensed family child care providers across every county in the state with an average of $2,000 per grant.

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. 

Gunawardena Family Child Care in Altadena, California after the Los Angelos fires.

Up in Flames: It’s a Long, Hard Road to Recovery for Altadena Family Child Care Providers

In January 2025, Home-based child care Francisca Gunawardena provider lost everything in the Los Angeles fires. Today, Francisca is still trying to figure out how to move forward.
Danielle Caldwell and her home-based child care program enjoying the outdoors.

Las mujeres que trabajan en el cuidado infantil en el hogar sufren la peor desigualdad salarial

Junto con las inspiradoras mujeres que son cuidadoras y cuidadoras de niños en el hogar, Home Grown celebró el Mes de la Historia de la Mujer pidiendo salarios adecuados que reflejen el valor de las contribuciones de los proveedores al desarrollo de los niños pequeños, el apoyo familiar y las economías y comunidades locales.
M. Robinson -IMG_4247

Inspiring A Passion for Nature Through Play in Home-based Child Care

Early childhood educators, including home-based child care providers, around the nation are exploring ways to bring the natural world to life as a classroom for children. We spoke with three providers who shared how they incorporate nature-based play in their programs.