Child care providers and Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregivers play an essential role in caring for our children and ensuring they grow up happy, healthy, and safe. BrightSpark Early Learning Services (formerly Child Care Resources) provides programs and resources to providers and caregivers to support them in offering quality care and resources for children and families.
Supply Distribution
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, child care providers and FFN caregivers struggled to access personal protective equipment and other supplies needed to maintain health and safety in their child care setting. BrightSpark’s one-on-one coaching model has allowed providers and caregivers to build a trusting relationship with their coach, get resources and support, and share directly what they needed and what was meaningful and impactful for their small businesses and the children in their care.
BrightSpark raised the needs they were hearing from providers to Best Starts, and Best Starts provided funding to purchase supplies, coordinate with partners, and form a supplies delivery team to deliver supplies to the doorsteps of providers and caregivers. Services had shifted to remote operation and coaches were no longer making on-site provider visits, but the delivery of supplies qualified as an essential type of health and safety support, allowing for an in-person contact between BrightSpark staff and providers.
The supply deliveries to providers and caregivers included: bleach, disinfectant wipes, hand soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels, toilet paper, gloves, cloth masks, disposable masks, no-touch thermometers, spray bottles, tablets, table top dividers, headphones, HEPA filtration units, nap mats, and nap mat covers.
“We know that these supplies made a significant difference for child care providers and caregivers, and the larger community of King County,” says BrightSpark. “We heard the thanks at delivery and know these addressed significant needs. We know too, that the impact goes beyond the immediate.”
By the Numbers
The first round of supply distribution was in late 2020 and early 2021; the second round of supply distribution was in late 2022 and early 2023. More than $1.2 million worth of supplies were distributed to providers and caregivers across King County, impacting 1,185 children in licensed child care and 750 children cared for by FFN caregivers. Some examples of the quantity of supplies distributed, includes:
- More than 360,000 disposable child and adult masks
- More than 560,000 pairs of disposable gloves
- 1,940 gallon bottles of bleach
- 4,990 gallon bottles of hand soap
- 7,610 gallon bottles of hand sanitizer
- 22,500 rolls of toilet paper
- 1,593 rolls of paper towels
- 765 no-touch thermometers
In addition to distributing general health and safety supplies, tablets, table top dividers, and headphones supported school-age children who were attending child care and engaging in remote learning. King County also purchased supplies to improve indoor air quality in child care settings, including HEPA air purifiers and toxic-free nap mats. HEPA air purifiers help to filter out viruses and cleanse the air of wildfire smoke, and toxic-free nap mats replaced existing nap mats, which likely contained harmful chemicals such as flame retardants, pesticides, and other harmful chemicals. Distributing these supplies also increased general awareness, allowing providers to make cost-effective updates and learn about the harmful chemicals found in most nap mats. The distribution of supplies included:
- 2,832 toxic-free nap mats
- 4,664 toxic-free washable nap mat covers
- More than 1,450 HEPA air purifiers
- 314 headphones
- 241 tablets
- 219 table top dividers
Providers and caregivers expressed immense gratitude and appreciation for the supplies. Misti McKenna, Early Learning Services Director, at BrightSpark, says, “A provider emailed us at BrightSpark… thanking us for the nap mats, and asking how she could purchase more for her program.”
Thank you!
A big thank you to BrightSpark and our community of providers, FFN caregivers, and partners for your dedication and commitment to ensuring that our babies and young children can grow up strong and thrive!
Thank you to the following Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) program teams for your partnership and support of child care providers: Best Starts Child Care Health Consultation, PHSKC Child Care Health Program, Lead and Toxics Program, and COVID- 19 Recovery Ventilation & Indoor Air Quality Program in the Environmental Health Services Division.
Thank you to the following community-based organizations for your partnership in reaching FFN caregivers:
First round of supply distribution partners: Center for Human Services, Center for Multicultural Health, Children’s Home Society, Chinese Information and Service Center, East African Community Services, El Centro de la Raza, First Five Years and Beyond, Horn of Africa Services, Iraqi Community Center of Washington, Korean Community Service Center, Sisters in Common, Somali Family Safety Task Force, and Somali Health Board.
Second round of supply distribution partners: Center for Multicultural Health, Chinese Information and Service Center, East African Community Services, First Five Years and Beyond, Horn of Africa Services, Iraqi Community Center of Washington, and Korean Community Service Center.
HEPA air purifier supply distribution partners: Center for MultiCultural Health, El Centro de la Raza, Iraqi Community Center of WA, Kandelia, Korean Community Center, White Center Community Development Association
