By Aneesa Grant, The Portland Medium
The Oregon Child Care Association (OCCA) has announced that applications are now open for child care programs to receive free business trainings and various forms of support, including website development, group purchasing discounts, tax preparation assistance, coaching, trainings, and other essential business management tools. The OCCA, operating under the Portland-based nonprofit Neighborhood House, is a community-driven program established in 2020 to assist child care businesses across Multnomah County, Central, and Southern Oregon.
Starting in July 2023, the OCCA will expand its support network to encompass new areas, including Washington, Tillamook, Clatsop, Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties. This strategic expansion aims to stabilize the child care industry throughout the state and provide assistance where it is most needed.
“Child care providers wear many hats and have to juggle the responsibilities of both educator and small business owner,” stated Lisa Tynan, Director of OCCA. “The more business tasks we can lend support with, the more time and energy these providers can allocate towards improving business practices and delivering quality child care.”
Neighborhood House, a renowned Portland organization that has been delivering anti-poverty services to communities for over 115 years, focuses on centering the voices and addressing the needs of individuals and communities most impacted by systemic inequities.
“We firmly believe that providing high-quality child care is imperative to building a healthy community, which is why we are offering these services throughout our county,” emphasized Mary DeBauche, Development and Communication Manager at Neighborhood House. “Our goal is to assist child care providers in increasing their capacity, reducing burnout, and acquiring vital business knowledge that can enable them to offer top-notch services.”
To learn more about the OCCA and apply for these valuable resources, visit OregonChildCareAlliance.org. Local child care business owners can also access these services through the Child Care Resource and Referral of Multnomah County by reaching out to Carol McMurdie at [email protected].
