“The partnership of First Baptist is bringing some younger families to their church campus, so that’s great for them,” Bramer said. “It’s taking advantage of space that wasn’t being utilized, and they’ve been great partners.”
Butler County is one of several areas with low childcare options. According to Policy Matters Ohio, Ohio now has the third-lowest eligibility for Publicly Funded Child Care in the country for kids zero to five.
Between 2019 and 2023, the number of children benefiting from publicly funded childcare in Ohio dropped from 172,585 children to 140,585, according to Policy Matters Ohio.
Laurin Sprague, treasurer at First Baptist Church and also a Hamilton City Schools board member, said as a past administrator in the school district, he knows the need for “good quality daycares in the city.”
“There’s a need for it, especially preschool,“ Sprague said. ”And I know the district provides some daycare, but we don’t provide for the real young kids like we have at First Baptist right now with the Y. The sooner that we can start working with kids and for them to have a good learning experience [the better].”
The YMCA first partnered with the church last fall, but it officially opened in the new space in January. Since then, Bramer said the site has roughly 35 enrolled children with 50 to 60 open spots. However, the location does not take infants.
Bramer said because infant care is a need in the community, the YMCA opened a child care center in partnership with Mercy Hospital in November 2023. Currently there are 18 children there, and the max is 30 to 40.
Affordability for families
The Great Miami Valley YMCA is part of the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, so families that qualify for those programs can pay nothing for childcare. Bramer said roughly 50% of the children with them qualify for that assistance.
However, for people in between, the YMCA has its own financial assistance program that helps families with the affordability of childcare.
“[The church isn’t] charging us. We’re paying for some extra utility usage and things of that nature. But for us ... it’s a win win, because if you have [expensive payments] it’d be difficult to be sustainable and keep those rates affordable and also provide our own assistance to families who need it that don’t qualify for the state program,“ Bramer said. “I’d say, it’s just a great partnership. It meets their mission, it meets our mission, and it impacts the community in a positive way.”
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