Communitywide Campaign Highlights Childcare as Essential Infrastructure
On Monday, May 11, 2026, community leaders, early childhood education providers, families, and employers across York County will come together for York County Runs on Childcare, a countywide awareness campaign aligned with the national Day Without Childcare.
The campaign highlights a simple but critical truth: childcare is an essential infrastructure that supports working families, employers, and the local economy.
Christy Renjilian, Executive Director of Community Connections for Children, stated:
“Childcare is both a child development and a workforce development issue. There is insufficient capacity in the childcare sector, resulting in children not having access to education to prepare them for school, families not being able to remain in the workforce, increased costs to employers due to higher turnover and absenteeism, and an increased burden on taxpayers. The recent Ready Nation report shows a $6.6 billion impact in PA due to the childcare crisis.”
Local Impact: What York County Residents Are Saying
As part of the campaign, a community survey is capturing the real-life impact of childcare challenges across York County.
Early results show:
- 85% of parents report they would need to miss work within days of a childcare disruption
- 100% of parents indicatre they would be forced out of the workforce long-term without reliable childcare
- Families report significant financial strain without two incomes, with many noting that lack of childcare would require one or more parents to leave the workforce
These findings reinforce what many families and employers already know: when childcare is unavailable, the entire community feels the impact.
Community Leaders Visit Local Providers
As part of the May 11 campaign, community leaders will tour two local early childhood education programs:
- TLC for Youth
- Otterbein Early Education Center
These visits will highlight both the strengths of York County’s early learning system and the ongoing challenges providers face, including staffing shortages, rising costs, and limited capacity.
A System Under Strain
York County continues to face a significant gap between the number of children needing care and available childcare slots. Workforce shortages and provider closures have further strained the system, limiting access to families and constraining economic growth.
Community Connections for Children, and its ECHO (Every Child Has Opportunities) initiative, are working to expand capacity, support providers, and build a stronger early childhood workforce.
How to Get Involved
Community members are encouraged to participate on May 11 by:
- Completing the York County Runs on Childcare survey
- Sharing their story on social media using #YorkCountyRunsOnChildcare
- Posting a photo or reflection about the role childcare plays in their lives
- Engaging employers, policymakers, and community leaders in the conversation
Learn more and participate: York County Runs on Childcare
Looking Ahead
York County Runs on Childcare is part of a broader effort to elevate childcare as a shared responsibility – and to drive long-term, sustainable solutions.
“Investing in childcare is investing in our workforce, our economy, and our future,” says Katie Caples, ECHO Director. “We have an opportunity to come together as a community and build a system that truly works for children, families, and employers.”
Media Contact:
Christy Renjilian, Executive Director
Community Connections for Children
(717) 968-8398
CRenjilian@cccforpa.org
www.cccforpa.org
About Community Connections for Children
Community Connections for Children has served York County families, childcare programs, and businesses for nearly 40 years. It administers the Child Care Works program that helps low income working families pay for childcare, Keystone STARS, which provides coaching, mentoring, and training to improve the quality of childcare programs, and resource and referral services to help families find care.
Every Child Has Opportunities (ECHO) is an early childhood education initiative in York County, Pennsylvania, led by Community Connections for Children and the York County Economic Alliance. ECHO brings together public, private, and nonprofit partners to expand access to high-quality early childhood education by strengthening the workforce, supporting providers, and engaging the broader community.
ECHO funding partners include WellSpan Health, the J. William Warehime Foundation, the Powder Mill Foundation, United Way of York County, the Kinsley Foundation, and the York County Community Foundation.
The York County Runs on Childcare Planning Committee includes representatives from Community Connections for Children, the School District of the City of York, United Way of York County, and the York County Economic Alliance.
To learn more: Community Connections for Children
To participate in the campaign: York County Runs on Childcare
