Child Care Aware of Kansas Honors Advancing Barton County Child Care as a ChildCare Community Champion

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Great Bend, Kansas – March 18, 2026

Child Care Aware of Kansas is proud to recognize Advancing Barton County Child Care

as a Child Care Community Champion, honoring their outstanding dedication and

commitment to strengthening local child care systems. This recognition is a part of the

Child Care Friendly Communities initiative, a statewide program that uplifts community-

led efforts to make child care accessible, sustainable, and supportive for Kansas

families and providers.

The Child Care Community Champion designation celebrates individuals, coalitions,

and organizations making considerable strides in improving child care through one or

more of four key pillars:

1.        Child Care Impact Partner

This pillar recognizes communities that have formed diverse and active coalitions

focused on building available child care.

2.        No Barriers, Bright Futures

This pillar celebrates efforts to remove local policy barriers that make it challenging to

open or expand child care programs.

3.        Child Care Capacity Builders

This pillar honors work to increase the number of available child care slots and expand

access for families in Kansas.

4.        Backbone Support Initiative

This pillar highlights investments in the well-being and sustainability of the child care

workforce.

The recognition of Advancing Barton County Child Care as a Child Care Community

Champion demonstrates their commitment to addressing local child care issues and

achieving meaningful progress for families in their community. Through forming a solid

network of community support, they have worked to increase local child care capacity

and public-private partnerships to help sustain local efforts.

Child Care Aware of Kansas Interim Executive Director Kami Cohorst praises

Advancing Barton County Child Care as a model of successful, sustainable change for

Kansas families through their efforts. “The coalition is a brilliant example of how

collaboration and commitment can achieve better outcomes for children and families

when they treat child care as essential infrastructure,” Cohorst says. “We are proud to

recognize their accomplishments and encourage other individuals and communities to

look to them for inspiration.

Celebrate Your Child Care Friendly Community

Child Care Aware of Kansas encourages communities across the state to follow the

lead of Advancing Barton County Child Care by participating in the Child Care Friendly

Communities program. Individuals and communities can earn recognition as Child Care

Community Champions in a variety of ways, from forming new coalitions to supporting

and expanding existing efforts. Through celebration of hard work and intentional

collaboration, Child Care Friendly Communities and Child Care Aware of Kansas hope

to create a brighter future for children and families across the state.

About Child Care Aware of Kansas

Child Care Aware of Kansas is a statewide organization dedicated to ensuring that

every family in Kansas has access to quality, affordable child care. Through community

partnerships, education, and advocacy, the organization empowers communities to

strengthen early childhood infrastructure and support the well-being of children, families,

and providers.

About Child Care Friendly Communities

Child Care Friendly Communities is a flexible, community-led designation program that

recognizes and supports local efforts to strengthen local child care. Whether

communities are just starting out or are expanding their existing work, they can earn

recognition through the pillars of Child Care Impact Partner, No Barriers, Bright Futures,

Child Care Capacity Builders, and Backbone Support Initiative, based on their unique

goals and capacities.