Voice of Voie: Treat Spread of Coronavirus as Natural Disaster and Come Together

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You’ve probably seen headlines and news articles this week regarding the extended closures of school districts in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties. Opinions on that aside, it’s put a spotlight on a very real problem in our community: The lack of available childcare resources.

In the coming days and weeks (possibly months), aside from the obvious health concerns that vary from person to person, we will likely face fallout from an economic depression of sorts due to the pandemic fears. In talking with local business owners myself this past week, they are already feeling the pinch. Floor traffic, visitors, diners — all dwindling in the face of coronavirus fears even this past week.

So we already know that retail and restaurant businesses are being negatively affected during this time and need support — but what if schools in our area begin to close? How will parents juggle very necessary work with the need to obtain childcare? I would maintain that the biggest factor in any additional economic depression will be directly proportionate to how big the lack of childcare will be in this area, should rural schools begin following suit of schools to the north.

Right now, I would like to challenge our communities to think of this potential pandemic outbreak — and it’s ripple effects — like any other natural disaster. A flood or earthquake. While you might not see the visible threats to homes and livelihoods, they are still very real.

If schools close, parents need to obtain childcare. If they cannot obtain childcare, they cannot work (or make poor or risky choices in order to be able to work). If parents cannot work, they cannot pay bills or make ends meet. As of 2016, more than one-third (43 percent) of households in Lewis County were considered “ALICE” — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — meaning they were only one short or missed paycheck away from facing the potential loss of their home.

Make no mistake: The working community is already affected by pandemic fears without school closures. If schools close, families in this community will absolutely be facing crisis. And unemployment safety nets will not (read again: will not) catch everyone.

On top of that, not every family can afford childcare when they traditionally depend on public school. Early childhood education and care now costs nearly as much as a college degree in some areas of our country.

Even before COVID-19 came on the scene here in southwest Washington, we knew childcare options were limited. Several large daycares have closed in our area in the past couple of years. Heck, my own child has been on the waitlist for several local preschool programs since last summer.

If we are treating this like a natural disaster, that means we’re calling everyone in the community off the bench: Every last available, healthy, non-immunocompromised or vulnerable person. If you want to be a hero in your community in the coming days and months, consider offering childcare to your friends and neighbors. Open your home to an extra kid or two, if you can, could literally save a family’s home. And if that isn’t the meaning of “community” in the truest sense, I don’t know what is.

Back in the day, when crisis hit our friends and neighbors, we had the grange. The grange was an organized group within the community that protected people from property loss and poverty by helping them rebuild after a disaster — or by banding together to fill sandbags. Social media connects us more than granges today, but it is the same concept, friends.



Right now, volunteering by way of offering childcare is akin to filling up sandbags. You are protecting against an impending wave of economic uncertainty. Undoubtedly, there will be some losses. But together, by giving of ourselves, we can all help minimize those losses and reduce stress to our already strapped local families.

Churches! You have entire lists of background checked adults! Here is a ministry opportunity falling right into your lap.

 

 

P.S. Another great way to support your community right now? Order takeout and / or delivery from local restaurants! Many local establishments either offer delivery options themselves or partner with a third-party delivery option like the Doordash app or Uber Eats. We do have local Uber drivers offering extra clean food delivery services, etc. If you aren’t comfortable supporting businesses in that way, you can also simply purchase a gift certificate or two to help keep your favorite local eateries afloat.

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Brittany Voie is a columnist for The Chronicle. She lives south of Chehalis with her husband and two young sons. She welcomes correspondence from the community at voiedevelopment@comcast.net.