Cedar/Jones ECI, community partners thank childcare providers

     Sherri Hunt, Cedar/Jones Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) coordinator, asked the Jones County Supervisors to proclaim May 12 Child Care Provider Appreciation Day.

   The supervisors took action on this during their May 9 board meeting, as Supervisor Jeff Swisher read the proclamation.

   “We should all take the opportunity to recognize these childcare providers and all of the work that they do,” Hunt said. “We have a lot of families in Jones County with both of the parents working outside the home. these childcare providers are vital to the workforce and our economy.”

   Hunt shared that on Friday, May 12, ECI and many volunteers will spend the day personally delivering treats to each and every childcare center and registered in-home provider as a thanks for all of their hard work.

   “We make deliveries to all of the childcare providers in Jones and Cedar counties,” continued Hunt. “In Jones County, there are seven centers that we recognize, and 18 registered childcare development homes.”

   Hunt said ECI differentiates between “childcare provider” and “preschool.”

   In addition, this year, ECI is focusing their efforts on SEL (social emotional learning). This entails delivering children’s’ books to all providers as well.

   “The community partners that we work with feel that you can never have enough books,” Hunt said. “We have to continue to hone in the importance of early literacy and SEL.”

   ECI and their community partners have been making thank-you deliveries to childcare providers for the past few years.

   “it’s just the little things that make a big difference in the work that we know is hard every day,” Hunt said.