Article

Moments that Matter: Heroes in Hoodies

Recently, a group of coworkers in South Bend, decked out in brand new matching hoodies, gathered for a free taco bar in their honor. What were they celebrating? What does it have to do with FSSA? And why did all the hoodies say “Thankful?”

For several months now, I’ve been sharing “moments that matter,” which highlight the impact of the work we do every day at FSSA. Work that makes a difference for Hoosiers.

Moments like the one that resulted in that taco bar, those “Thankful” hoodies, and the heroes that were wearing them.

As you may know, the challenges facing the child care industry in Indiana over the last couple of years have been enormous. With each up and down of the pandemic child care providers had to find ways to keep their doors open. They had to because the men and women who make early education a career needed to keep showing up so the rest of us could also keep showing up.

Child care providers have been able to continue operating in part because, in the early days of the pandemic, FSSA and the Holcomb administration recognized that early education providers are among the state’s MOST “essential” workers. After all, without them how would health care, public safety, manufacturing, food service and other essential services continue to operate? That is why FSSA’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning provided grants to keep providers in business. In addition to grants, OECOSL was the state’s resource for helping keep these early childhood teachers and children safe by altering their operations to create social distancing, and cleaning – so much cleaning – to minimize viral spread.

Despite the ever-increasing workload, early education teachers and staff kept showing up in those early days of the pandemic. For many, it must have felt like a thankless time that would never end. (It probably still does.)

Fast-forward about one year, and OECOSL launched a massive new program called Build, Learn, Grow. A program that is all about getting the child care industry the support it needs to keep going. Build, Learn, Grow provides scholarships ($32.5 million) to help families pay for child care. But more recently, Build, Learn, Grow released stabilization grants, which have gone out to over 3,200 early education and out-of-school programs. Grants to the tune of over $175 million dollars! (So far) Grants that can be used to increase teacher and staff pay and/or improve operations. Grants that can also be used to support their mental health needs.

“I’m so proud of my team for their commitment to helping early education teachers through this pandemic,” says Nicole Norvell, OECOSL director. “These teachers have the unique opportunity to shape young minds and provide support for families so that they can go to their jobs, which further helps their local communities. We think our early education providers can help change the world!”

It was the AppleTree Learning Center in South Bend that decided to use some of its Build, Learn, Grow grant money on something that was probably long overdue: To let its workers know how much Indiana appreciates them and others in the child care industry across the state.

Yes, while the taco bar and hoodies were nice, what really helped, said Tammy Dant, AppleTree’s director, was that the “the staff got a much-needed financial boost.” And perhaps even more meaningful, is they felt that Indiana, and FSSA, cared about them and what they do. They felt appreciated and recognized for the work they have done and the work still to do!

Connecting Hoosiers to Heroes. That’s what FSSA does. And it’s these moments of celebration, though brief and fleeting, that matter. As the hoodie says. I’m thankful.