SIDNEY — Wilma Valentine Childcare will participate in the Community Foundation’s Match Day and use gifts to help retain staff as wages rise with competing employers. The non-profit childcare center provides an opportunity for children in preschool and ages 3-5 with and without disabilities to play and learn together. Open weekdays from 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and with a low staff-to-child ratio, they can support the schedule of a working parent who has a child with special needs because of a disability or behavior issue.
“Like many other employers, our staff costs have increased, but it is very hard to pass along those costs to families who need our specialized childcare,” said Nancy Stiefel, Wilma Valentine Childcare executive director. “We ask Match Day donors to help us keep these hard-working, caring staff members who sacrifice to stay with us and the kids we serve.
Past Match Day gifts have helped offset operational costs and improve the childcare center’s playground surface and equipment.
To support Wilma Valentine Childcare on Match Day, gifts must be made payable to the Community Foundation of Shelby County with: Match/Wilma Valentine noted on the memo or in an accompanying note or form. Details and forms are available at the Community Foundation website at commfoun.com and at Wilma Valentine Childcare, 1200 S. Children’s Home Road, Sidney. Gifts must be received on or before Nov. 29 to be eligible for matching money. Credit card gifts may be made only on Nov. 29.
The Community Foundation of Shelby County holds its Match Day event annually on Giving Tuesday. Twenty-five local charities will ask supporters to make a gift to the Community Foundation that will be matched up to a total of $5,000 per charity.
Match Day participating organizations have a 501(c)(3) tax status and an organization fund within the Community Foundation of Shelby County with an asset balance exceeding the Foundation’s fund minimum. Gifts received will not be placed into an organization’s fund, but instead will be returned to the organization for its work in the community.
