Childcare Assistance


 
 
The Des Moines Area Religious Council Childcare Assistance program increases opportunities for low-income families to achieve self-sufficiency by providing short-term scholarship funding for quality childcare.
 
In cooperation with the Des Moines Area Religious Council, Polk County Early Childhood Iowa (PCECI) processes applications and coordinates co-payments for the Childcare Assistance program. For more information: please call and leave a message:
 
 Roxann Osborn, 515-953-0034
    or
 Stacey Walter, 515-321-7227
 
Your call will be returned within 48 hours. You must be attending a program that is NYEYC accredited or has a QRS rating of 3-5.  
 
Background
Paying for childcare costs of $539-$810 per month can be especially challenging for low-income households (see pdf of income and expense breakdown chart). Government subsidies can provide some financial relief for families whose income is close to the poverty line. However, as household income increases through employment and/or job promotions, working parents lose government assistance long before they are making enough to cover the full cost of childcare. These are the families that the DMARC Childcare Assistance program helps.
 
Program and Eligibility Guidelines
-Participants must reside in Polk County and be working, attending school, or seeking work.
-Family income must be 240% of poverty or less and the family or child(ren) is not eligible for other forms of childcare subsidy.
-Subsidies are limited to childcare costs for children ages 6 and younger.
-Participant co-payments are required.
-Childcare providers must be rated a 3, 4, or 5 in the State of Iowa Quality Rating System or accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
 
Community Need
Iowa ranks third in the nation in the percent of children under 6 years of age with all parents in the labor force (70%). Even so, low wages force many families to live paycheck to paycheck, incur heavy debt, or leave the workforce until their children no longer require childcare. For a single parent the challenges are even greater. For such families with two young children, childcare costs often exceed housing costs.
 
 
Support
About 90% of program requests for childcare assistance are from single parents - young moms and dads who are working hard to achieve self-sufficiency and improve the quality of life for their families. The need is great. Donate today to support DMARC’s Childcare Assistance efforts. 
 
Learn more about the Emergency Food Pantry network and Compassion In Action, other DMARC programs that provide financial stability and improve the lives of about 10,000 Polk County families each year. 

 

  • 3816 36th Street, Suite #202
  • Des Moines, IA 50310
  • Phone: 515-277-6969

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Welcome to DMARC

The Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) is an interfaith organization that exists to provide a common means of responding to basic human needs and, in so doing, offers a context for interfaith dialogue, education, fellowship and support while serving as a liaison between member congregations and the greater Des Moines community.
Hours, office and warehouse

Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

(closed Christmas holiday and New Years holiday)
Some Facts About DMARC
  • DMARC has received IRS designation as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
  • We have more than 150 member congregations.
  • We have partners from ten different faith traditions.
  • DMARC was founded more than 50 years ago in 1952.
  • DMARC does not require attendance at or participation in religious services as a requirement or condition to receive services, and DMARC does not engage in religious proselytizing or counseling.
  • DMARC practices non-discrimination in accordance with all applicable federal and state regulations.
DMARC offers a range of programs designed to help fulfill our mission: