“I am very thankful that WAGE$ has come into being because there are so many children that I would love to help more and having had this past college class, I can understand a lot more than I did before!”
“I’m very fortunate because I am an essential worker and I’ve been working since day one, and we are lucky that no one has gotten sick,” said Melissa (Missy) Hamrick, director of Cleveland County’s Mama Lissa’s Tiny Tot University.
As an infant-toddler educator, Tonya struggles with critically low pay and she works an additional part-time job to survive. It is a constant and ongoing challenge, but her passion for young children drives her.
According to Julie, “WAGE$ has made me feel appreciated and valued. When you feel valued, you want to stay. It is important to value dedicated teachers who want to learn all they can. I never want to stop learning.”
The early childhood workforce has stepped up to help others work despite the risks to their own health. Many are barely holding on because they are operating at 50% capacity, which cannot sustain the child care industry. Is there a positive in all of this?
“I do worry about the child care industry. I worry about what is going to happen even if we can reopen. Will there be enough children who can come? And how can you charge parents who are not working? What will all this mean for the families and for my staff?”
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