Minnesota’s Day Without Child Care is coming up on Monday, March 3rd.

Milestones Daycare in Virginia will be closing their doors that day, to push the message that things cannot stay the same.

Amanda Reed loves being the owner. But she feels like the mountain of paperwork required by regulation is too much, and she could use help financially to help get that done.

She and others are hoping the state would invest in making the industry more sustainable. And not just slots for new care, but assistance for existing caregivers.

“I love being a mom. And I can’t be a mom and take care of my kids without an income. And so what I really love is that strong daycare makes strong families,” she told us.

She would also like staff to feel more valued.

“We can’t buy benefits packages and offer them anything but ESST leave. It’d be great to get a PTO package or a retirement package so that their futures are taken care of. They’re taking care of the future, but their future really isn’t taken care of,” she said.

Milestones is hosting a press event on the 3rd, and then people are marching to the nearby bridge over Highway 169 in the afternoon.