OPERATION CHILD CARE LAUNCHES TOTAL SOLUTION TO THE MILITARY CHILD CARE CRISIS IN NORFOLK
Updated: Nov 28, 2022
Founder Kayla Corbitt Launches in Norfolk/Hampton Roads, Virginia
November 16, 2022
HAMPTON ROADS, VA — Operation Child Care, the Military Spouse owned advocacy and solution company announces a Pilot Launch in the Hampton Roads, Virginia region servicing over 80,000 service members on November 21, 2022.
The Hampton Roads Region is home to 15 military bases and one of the top five child care deserts in the military community and the demand for care is crippling.
“I just left the Navy,” says a former sailor whose spouse remained in the service when she was unable to access care for their special needs child.“Once we realized we would need individualized care and the resources weren’t available, I had to choose between my child's comfort and my career, I chose my child.”
Historically, the lack of access to affordable, quality child care has been something military families face alone. The highest military spouse unemployment rate of any demographic and rising food insecurity rates alert the community that there must be change and soon.
ABOUT OPERATION CHILD CARE
Operation Child Care was founded by a military spouse who understands the lifelong effects that a lack of affordable, quality child care can have on a military family. Through advocacy, programming, and free access to knowledge, Operation Child Care supports our troops by supporting their families.
Operation Child Care (OCC) is first and foremost an information-sharing service. Over 60% of the nation's licensed commercial and in-home centers were not listed online, until now. Using our new search portal, families can see what they qualify for (and can expect) instantaneously. Families will know precisely what to expect, even if that means that traditional care is not available in the foreseeable future. This brings us to the second way Operation Child Care is filling a void, bridging the military child care gap.
OCC fills the child care gap when a family relocates by offering pre-background checked care providers, or Nannies, to families that would otherwise need to quit or reduce their employment.
Operation Child Care contracts exclusively with DOD-affiliated personnel to fill the role of Nannies which gives this demographic additional employment options. Since some of our families only need temporary care, this allows military spouses to make an income regardless of how short a tour is.
Kayla Corbitt, Operation Child Care’s Founder said, “ The data supports that at their core, most issues Military Families face are child care issues. If we truly want to support our troops we need to start by supporting their families.” While this much-awaited resource will only be available in the Norfolk Hampton Roads region right now, expansion plans are underway.
The military community is not alone in its significant lack of care, but with unique circumstances like frequent relocations, a lack of secondary income, and a missing local support system, they are disproportionately affected.
For more information visit www.operationchildcare.org or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
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