| Why DBCC Seeks Funds Downtown Baltimore Child
Care, Inc. was started in 1983 by a group of parents with the goal of
establishing a quality child care program in the downtown area. Today,
DBCC is considered a model center of early care and education.
Unfortunately, funds raised have never been sufficient to create an
endowment and quality learning programs cannot survive on parent tuition
alone. In our society, the quality of a young child’s experience in
child care is directly proportional to what their parents can spend for
the service. DBCC strives to make a positive experience available to a
broad socio-economic range of children.
DBCC believes child care in America is in a state of quiet crisis –
quiet because the real victims are young children who cannot speak out
and demand better care for themselves. The crisis is rooted in our
failure as a society to recognize the interconnection of three basic
needs: quality programs for children, adequate compensation for
teachers, and affordable services for families.
The factors that contribute to the quality of an early childhood
program also contribute to the overall cost of the program and come with
high personnel requirements. The fact that group size must be limited
and that one adult may sufficiently care for only a small number of
children makes early childhood programs a labor-intensive activity and
an expensive proposition. At DBCC 80% of our expenses are staffing
costs.
Generally in private enterprise, the increased costs of doing
business are passed on to the consumer. This is typically not an option
for child care programs where parent fees are the primary source of
income. A reliance on parent fees alone sets a low ceiling for potential
income since child care expenses are already stretching most family
budgets. The cost of child care is one of the nation’s top three
household expenses.
All segments of society – families, employers, communities and the
nation as a whole – benefit from quality child care programs. Yet,
despite all those who benefit, it is a disturbing reality that child
care teachers traditionally subsidize the cost of care through their low
wages. DBCC staff earn wages comparable to other Maryland’s child care
providers as a whole, but thankfully, DBCC is able to subsidize staff
parking costs, pay 70% of their individual health care coverage, and
provide paid leave from one week in their first year of employment to up
to six weeks vacation as their seniority increases. DBCC also keeps
class size and child to adult ratios low to provide a classroom that is
easier to manage and less stressful for teachers and children.
It is time to go beyond the rhetoric that children are our greatest
resource. We must make an investment that demonstrates our commitment to
young children and the future. DBCC merits your support because it is
one of the very few organizations that are working hard to increase the
quality and not just the quantity of child care spaces in Baltimore.
How DBCC Raises Money
DBCC strives to provide a variety of fund raising opportunities to fit
individual preferences:
- Sally Foster Gift Wrap Sales – DBCC earns 50 cents on every
dollar of Sally Foster product sold.
- Annual Giving – DBCC solicits from families of children
currently enrolled and alumni as well as interested community
members. DBCC typically receives over $10,000 each year.
- Spring social event and fundraiser – A special social event is
scheduled each spring as either family centered or adults only. DBCC
typically earns between $8,000 and $15,000 at each event.
- Grant writing for special projects – DBCC writes grants for
special projects, such as Strategic planning, in-service training
for our teachers, and scholarships for our families, etc. DBCC
typically raises between $25,000 and $50,000 each year depending on
the projects. This money’s use is restricted.
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