During the first half of 2022, Valley Interfaith Action leaders had 1,067 face to face conversations with residents across Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. We asked everyone the same question: “If you could change one thing to improve your family’s life or the lives of your neighbors, where would you start?” In our conversations, we heard story after story about gaps in childcare and transportation.
For childcare, we heard from parents and grandparents who struggled to find care for young children and before-after school care for elementary age children. If they can find a spot in a quality center, costs are high and average $400-500/month per child. At the same time, childcare workers and providers face low wages and no benefits, making on average $11-13/hour. The lack of stable and sustainable funding makes it difficult for providers to raise wages or plan even a year into the future. More than any other challenges, VIA found that the key tension for our members is high costs/no spots and low wages.
For transportation, we heard about adults and children missing medical appointments, students not able to participate in afterschool activities because they couldn’t get home, employees walking night or day, rain or shine along busy roads to get to work, and employers struggling to retain workers who depend on a partner or neighbor to drop them off each shift.
In June 2022, 182 VIA leaders gathered in Harrisonburg and voted to do more research on childcare and transportation.
In October 2022, 330 VIA leaders gathered in Dayton to hear back from our research teams and voted to move forward to address gaps in childcare and transportation for our own members and our neighbors.
On March 21, 2023, 561 VIA leaders gathered in Bridgewater to publicly introduce Valley Interfaith Action to corporate and elected leaders in the Valley and kick off our Childcare and Transportation Campaigns!
On June 22, 2023, 149 VIA leaders gathered to publicly announce our proposal for door-to-door transit with JAUNT, kick off our feasibility study with VDRPT, and share updates about our Childcare Campaign.
On September 21, 2023, 144 VIA leaders gathered to hear updates on our Summer Listening Campaign, the work of our Childcare and Transportation Campaigns, and prepare for our Candidate Action Assembly.
On October 26, 2023, 209 VIA leaders gathered with candidates for Rockingham County School Board and Board of Supervisors for our first Candidate Assembly. VIA leaders shared testimonies and the campaigns to address gaps in transportation and childcare and invited candidates to share their reactions and priorities.
On December 7, 2023, 353 VIA leaders gathered to ask elected and corporate leaders to take the next step with us to establish door-to-door demand response transit and create 250 new pre-k spots that pay a living wage.
Our Work
