It is no secret that child care programs across Nebraska have been facing some pretty significant challenges. Between rising operating costs, ongoing issues with state subsidy payments, and families struggling to keep up with the cost of living, many child care centers are finding it increasingly difficult to keep their doors open.
Unfortunately, Las Abejitas has not been immune to these challenges. With more than half of our revenue coming from state child care subsidies, delays in payments can have a huge impact on our day-to-day operations. At the same time, we have families who genuinely need child care but are struggling financially, and we never want finances to be the reason a child loses access to a safe, loving, and high-quality learning environment.
We are working hard to navigate these challenges, grow our enrollment, and find some creative ways to support both our families and our program. We are incredibly proud of what we have built at Las Abejitas, and we are determined to continue providing the quality bilingual early childhood education that our community needs!
A Little Fall Fun at Las Abejitas!
Even with all of the challenges we’ve been navigating, there are still so many wonderful things happening in our classrooms! Our East Location recently enjoyed a potato harvest from our garden! With the help of our amazing teachers and Bev, the children got to dig through the soil, discover the potatoes they had grown, and see firsthand where some of our food comes from.
There was plenty of excitement as the children uncovered potato after potato! Experiences like these are such a wonderful reminder of why we do what we do. Hands-on learning, curiosity, and meaningful connections with the people in our community are all such important parts of early childhood education.
A special thank you to Bev and our wonderful teachers for helping make this experience possible! We love seeing our children learn and grow, both inside and outside the classroom!
One way we’re working toward this goal is through our upcoming Fall Fun Carnival!
Please join us on Thursday, November 5, from 5–7 PM at First Lutheran Church (1551 S. 70th Street) for an evening of family fun! Admission is free, and we’ll have carnival games, a bounce house, food, prizes, and more. All proceeds will go toward our scholarship fund to help families who are struggling with child care expenses.
We are also looking for individuals, businesses, and organizations who would like to help make this event a success! There are lots of ways to get involved, including donating raffle baskets, carnival prizes, entertainment, or monetary contributions. We are also offering $100 sponsored carnival game tables, where businesses and organizations can host a game while sharing information about what they do with families in our community.
We know that our church partners have so many wonderful connections, talents, and ideas, and we would love your help spreading the word! Whether that means attending the carnival, sponsoring an activity, connecting us with a local business, or sharing a new fundraising idea, every little bit helps.
We are so thankful for the continued support, encouragement, and partnership of our church communities. Child care is such an important piece of a healthy, thriving community, and we truly believe that by working together, we can continue making a difference for the children and families who depend on us.
If you would like to sponsor an activity, contribute a donation, or learn more about how you can help, please reach out to office@lasabejitas.net
Thank you for being part of our village!
