Virtual instruction for Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) this fall means many families have to make alternate arrangements for the care of their elementary-aged students, balancing work and child care. This need, and the costs associated with it, most acutely affects low-income students and those whose parents may be working to balance online learning and child care with work.

Though the City of Madison and MMSD have both committed significant funds to help families with these costs, those commitments will not be enough to cover the anticipated expenses of low-income families in Madison. To answer this need, MMSD, The City of Madison and United Way of Dane County have established the Child Care Scholarship Fund at United Way of Dane County. 

This fund will directly support nonprofit organizations, neighborhood centers or child care centers providing child care for low-income elementary school-aged children and virtual learning support to MMSD students. Our collective goal is to raise $400,000 to allow 150 children to attend full-time programming for free.