Childcare affordability has become one of Hillsborough County’s most pressing economic challenges. For working parents, the cost of reliable care can rival rent or a mortgage. For employers, the consequences show up as missed shifts, turnover and stalled growth. And for children, the stakes are lifelong: Early education experiences shape readiness for school and future success.
The reality is especially stark for families identified by United for ALICE, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. Parents work hard, often in essential roles, yet still struggle to cover basics. When childcare fails, the delicate balance that keeps families together and businesses running also fails.
What’s needed now is clarity and action.
Our call is simple: Parents should apply now and ask for help, employers should pay attention and partner, and community leaders should invest early. Together, we can reduce costs for families, prepare children for school, and support a stronger Hillsborough County economy.
For parents, this means knowing that help exists and using it. Childcare assistance can offset monthly costs for eligible working parents and full-time students. For families with 4-year-olds, Florida’s voluntary prekindergarten program offers a free, half-day early learning experience that builds social-emotional skills, early literacy and basic numeracy skills every child needs and deserves before kindergarten. These programs are not handouts; they are on ramps to stability for families who want to work and children who deserve a strong start.
For employers, childcare should be understood as workforce infrastructure. When parents have reliable care, absenteeism drops and retention improves. Businesses can play a role by partnering with community organizations, supporting family-friendly policies and lending their voice to solutions that keep the labor force strong.
For community leaders and philanthropists, early learning is one of the smartest investments available. Dollars spent early yield returns in education outcomes, economic participation and long-term community health. That’s why the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County is working alongside business leaders to commission a blue-ribbon panel focused on practical, scalable solutions that connect early brain development to workforce and economic resilience.
Childcare is not just a family issue. It’s an economic imperative that touches every corner of our community from kitchen tables to boardrooms. If we act together with parents, employers and civic leaders we can ensure Hillsborough County remains a place where families can work, children can thrive, and the economy can grow.
Aakash Patel is the board chair and Dr. Fred Hicks is the CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County.