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Published on September 13, 2024
Shared Prosperity Kalamazoo (SPK) is receiving national attention as Kevin Ford, SPK Coordinator, has been invited to participate as a panelist at the LISC 2024 Building Innovation in Equitable Childcare (BIEC) convening in Kansas City, MO.
This invitation highlights SPK's efforts in partnership with LISC and Southwest Childcare Resources to support in-home childcare business providers, addressing critical community needs and fostering economic stability in Kalamazoo's core neighborhoods.
The BIEC program supports a cohort of innovative “co-location models” across the U.S., aiming to reimagine how childcare spaces are developed by integrating them with other essential community services such as affordable housing and health care.
SPK, in partnership with LISC and Southwest Childcare Resources, has been instrumental in providing equitable access to high-quality training and resources for in-home childcare business providers in Kalamazoo.
"In-home childcare providers are essential to our local economy. By enabling parents to work, these businesses ensure that our workforce remains strong and resilient,” said Kevin Ford, SPK coordinator for the City of Kalamazoo. “Supporting these providers is not just an investment in children but in the economic stability of our entire community."
Southwest Childcare Resources provided up to $5,400 per provider to purchase essential business materials in 2023, helping them develop sustainable business models. The initiative is part of a broader effort to build a more equitable childcare system within Kalamazoo's core neighborhoods.
SPK leveraged funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to secure matching dollars from LISC, demonstrating a powerful partnership aimed at enhancing community infrastructure, human development, and family well-being.
Participants at the BIEC convening will hear from colleagues from Kansas City, as well as the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek region. The participants will discuss their roles, unique sets of experiences, and pathways towards engaging a diverse group of partners and stakeholders in their work, and commitment to achieving accessible, sustainable early childhood systems and infrastructure. Michelle Audette-Bauman from Edison Community Partners is also on the panel.
About Shared Prosperity Kalamazoo
Shared Prosperity Kalamazoo is a transformative initiative aimed at eliminating generational poverty in Kalamazoo by creating a community where everyone can thrive. The plan supports two-generation (2Gen) programs, focusing on the well-being of both children and their adults. SPK is part of the Ascend Network, a community of more than 500 organizations from across the US and beyond that uses two-generation (2Gen) approaches in their work so that children and families can reach their full potential.