Child Care in Churches Builds Stronger Rural Communities
To support communities and United Methodist churches in rural North Carolina, The Duke Endowment helps rural congregations begin and expand child care programs.
Insights
- Many grants from the Endowment have helped expand capacity by offering dollars for continuing education for teachers, an important part of the North Carolina Division of Child Development star rating system.
- The Endowment's Rural Church program area requires that churches track and report the school readiness of preschoolers. Continued funding is awarded to programs that prepare at least 75 percent of students for school.
- The Endowment's Rural Church program area also requires churches to pre- and post-test students in after-school programs. Continued funding is awarded to programs that help at least 75 percent of students achieve grade level in reading and math.
- Churches are strengthened when they're engaged in external programs that reach out to their communities.
Impact
More Rural Churches Offering 5-Star Child Care
Many rural United Methodist Churches in North Carolina now offer high-quality, affordable child care in underserved areas. In some cases, the church-based center is the only one in the county that holds a five-star license from the state (the highest ranking available in North Carolina's one- to five-star rating system).
The Endowment's Rural Church program area recently reviewed all of its church-based child care grants awarded in 2006 and 2007. The study of those 79 grants (totaling $3.5 million) showed that:
- Nearly 5,700 children were served: 2,931 in preschool programs, 2,100 in afterschool programs and 651 in summer programs.
- Some 1,100 congregants volunteered by preparing meals, teaching, tutoring and maintaining the grounds.
- Volunteers served more than 90,000 hours, or an average of 80 hours per congregant.
Child Care Programs Revitalizing Congregations
For some churches, offering child care helped revitalize the congregation and bring in new members. At Solid Rock United Methodist Church in Spout Springs, N.C., for instance, average worship attendance grew from one single family to more than 300. Solid Rock's outreach ministries include two day care programs, with plans to expand to a third.
The Duke Divinity School magazine featured the church in a recent issue. "Part of my job is to inspire people to believe that they can do big things right where they are," said lead pastor Gil Wise. "They're making a difference in the Kingdom, and they don't have to go to a bigger place for that."
Contact Us
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Director of Rural Church
704.927.2251
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