One year after bringing business and community leaders together to examine the region’s child care crisis, we’re reconvening to ask an important question: What has changed, and where do we go from here?
Access to affordable, quality child care remains a significant workforce challenge for employers and working families. When employees cannot find or afford reliable care, the impact extends into the workplace through absenteeism, turnover, reduced workforce participation and difficulty attracting and retaining talent.
Join the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and Groundwork Ohio for an important conversation on the progress made over the past year, the challenges that remain, and emerging opportunities for employers to be part of the solution.
Regional leaders will provide updates on efforts underway to strengthen our local child care system, while Sen. Jane Timken, representing Ohio’s 29th Senate District, will share an update on the public policy landscape and efforts taking place at the state level. We’ll also explore what employers need to know about the child care challenges affecting their workforce and opportunities to support employees struggling with the availability and cost of care.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to tour JRC’s child care center and learn firsthand about its work to provide affordable, high-quality child care to families in Stark County.
Whether you joined us for the conversation in 2025 or are engaging with this issue for the first time, we invite you to be part of the discussion as we move from understanding the child care crisis toward identifying solutions that work for families, employers and our region.
Speakers & Agenda:
Jeff Dafler, President & CEO, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce
Panel Discussion moderated by Angela Moses, Executive Director, Early Childhood Resource Center
Liz Hibbs, Executive Director, Early Childhood Education Alliance
Justin Evans, Owner, Precious Cargo
Asha Boone, Executive Director, Stuckey Learning Center
Senator Jane Timken, Ohio Senate District 29
Lynanne Gutierrez, Groundwork Ohio
This event is also serving as a stop on Groundwork Ohio’s Roadshow Listening Tour, during which they will hear from families, health and child care providers, local policymakers, community funders, and other leaders who touch the lives of young children aged 0-5. Their learnings will inform their policy agenda during the upcoming 137th General Assembly and be featured in a statewide report that will be shared with Ohio’s policy-makers. Learn more: groundworkohio.org/roadshow