A non-profit aimed at boosting entrepreneurship in the Eugene/Springfield area has partnered with a well-known child development agency to provide childcare to women starting their own companies.
The business development group Onward Eugene was founded in early 2020, just before COVID-19 arrived. Startup Community Director Caitlin Vargas said, over the pandemic she’s despaired as parents—mostly moms—have left the workforce for lack of childcare. So, Vargas said, they got a grant and asked experts at the Relief Nursery to help.
“You know we’ve all been on a lot of Zoom meetings and that’s a lot of talking. What I really like about this respite care and partnership with Relief Nursery is-- it’s action. It’s doing. It’s a solution,” she said.
Beginning in late January, female participants of the free accelerator business startup programs can learn the ropes of starting a business without worrying about care for their kids.
Vargis thanked the Oregon Community Foundation and the Anderson family who granted the respite care program. “We are now able to remove the barrier of childcare for aspiring women entrepreneurs in our region,” she said.
The respite care program is set to begin the last week of January, in support of entrepreneurs who participate in Onward Eugene’s flagship startup accelerator program called EUG Launchpad.
This program is one of several no-cost entrepreneurial support programs offered by Onward Eugene. The University of Oregon’s Women’s Innovation Network (WIN) series will also be supported by the addition of respite childcare.
Programs are hosted at the Innovation Hub at 942 Olive Street in downtown Eugene.
For more information:
Onward Eugene and Relief Nursery To Offer Respite Child Care During Entrepreneurial Programs — Eugene's Table (eugenestable.org)
