For parents and caregivers, childcare in America a vicious cycle—many childcare centers in rural areas struggle to pay livable wages to their staff, leading to worker shortages. According to the latest Center for American Progress data, in September 2023, the childcare sector was still down about 39,400 workers.
For parents like Stacie Lada, this shortage creates an almost impossible situation, where work and family responsibilities collide in unsustainable ways. A situation that many families in rural Nebraska (and beyond!) know all too well. Limited childcare options, coupled with high costs, force difficult choices—often leading one parent to leave the workforce entirely.
But this crisis is not without a growing movement for change. Get to know Lada’s story, and consider ways you can connect with your community for a stronger future for all of us.