Governor Walz visits Child Development Center to highlight the importance of child care assistance for Minnesota families

The Wilder Child Development Center provides high-quality early childhood education for children ages 16 months to five years, with a focus on social-emotional learning, kindergarten readiness, and meeting the needs of children and families. For many families, high-quality early childhood learning like the Child Development Center would be out of reach without financial assistance. 

In fact, nearly 75 percent of the families whos children attend the Wilder Child Development Center rely on the Child Care Assistance Program and early learning scholarships to pay tuition. That’s why Wilder staff were excited to host Governor Walz and other elected officials outside the Child Development Center in May to highlight the importance of the Child Care Assistance Program for our young learners.

"We have to ensure that our littlest learners have what they need. Not only do they deserve it, we need them. They are our future teachers, our future doctors," Governor Walz said. He was joined by Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, Representatives Rena Moran and Dave Pinto, Bharti Wahi of the Children's Defense Fund-Minnesota and Child Development Director Angie Clair, and Shawnice, whose children attend the Child Development Center.

The state Child Care Assistance Program helps families who meet income requirements pay for child care so that parents can pursue careers and education while children are well cared for and ready for kindergarten. Wilder Child Development Center students are among 30,000 children in Minnesota who attend child care with help from this program.

“It gives you peace of mind,” says Shawnice, who uses the Child Care Assistance Program. “I’m here because my kids deserve a chance like any other kid. I want my kids to have a career.”

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