EXCERPT: “As COVID-19 spread in Minnesota and Gov. Tim Walz shut down public life, the child care industry struggled from lack of income as children stayed home with their parents. But even during rocky economic times, which have led businesses of all stripes to close their doors over the last five months, some Minnesotans have managed a surprising feat: opening a new child care program. State licensing data from the Department of Human Services shows more than 100 family child care providers have been authorized to open their doors since March 17, when Walz closed down bars and restaurants in the state and many businesses started shifting to remote work. Another two dozen child care centers, which are larger and serve more children than family providers, have been licensed by DHS in the same time period. For some providers, the pandemic was another difficult hurdle they managed to overcome. For others, though, COVID-19 made the industry more attractive because of poor job prospects elsewhere. Brandie Folken, an owner of Brandie’s Little Bear Learning Center in Eveleth, opened her doors March 23, just two days before Walz announced his first stay-home order. Folken said she had been working for three years to get the center going in St. Louis County, part of a region with a persistent child care shortage that has hurt the economy.” FULL STORY: https://fluence-media.co/3hrY8wD
