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LSI's Boone County crisis child care awarded $5,000 grant
Boone, Iowa – Lutheran Services in Iowa’s (LSI) Boone County crisis child care program recently received a $5,000 grant from the Leonard A. Good Trust. LSI’s crisis child care program provides thousands of hours of child care annually to families who need emergency care because of medical issues, domestic violence, mental health concerns, homelessness, a death in the family, extreme parental stress or other crisis issues.
“Our goal with crisis child care is making sure parents have access to a safe environment for their child during a crisis,” said Chris Rubino, LSI service coordinator. “Without it, parents have fewer options, and the risk for child abuse or neglect rises. For example, a parent may leave a child home alone, or leave a six-year-old to watch over a two-year-old.”
Funds from the Leonard A. Good Trust will help with program operations, such as travel for transporting children to crisis care, staff salaries and stipends for providers. LSI’s crisis child care is available 24-7 and provides free short-term care to children ages 0 to 12 whose families are experiencing a crisis or emergency. A certified LSI provider takes care of the child for up to 72 hours, and LSI also provides the family with assistance and referrals to community resources.
The program also assists local hospital and police officials in finding safe care for children during emergency situations. For example, if a pregnant mother goes into premature labor and does not have arrangements for her children, LSI can provide crisis child care until she is able to leave. If a police officer arrests a parent in a domestic violence situation, crisis child care can provide a safe environment for the children until long-term plans are decided.
Any Boone County family who is experiencing a crisis and lacks adequate child care options is eligible for this program. To access crisis child care in Boone County or Story County, call 515.460.2423.
LSI's crisis child care program is also currently looking for more registered day care homes in Story and Boone counties who would like to provide care.
LSI impacts the lives of tens of thousands of Iowans annually through residential treatment, services to families, home health care, early childhood programs, adoption/foster care services, refugee resettlement, services for people with disabilities, disaster response initiatives and Barnabas Uplift. LSI serves people of all ages, genders, nationalities, religions, ethnicities and sexual orientations and is affiliated with Lutheran Services in America and three Iowa synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. To learn more, visit www.lsiowa.org.
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