MHCC offers free childcare if students meet income requirements for Head Start eligibility and if they are enrolled in at least nine credits per term.
Funding is provided in the Child Development Center for 28 slots available to children 3 to 5 years old with parents attending MHCC.
Head Start, an early education program for low-income children, provides the funds to the CDC to support parents returning to school to complete a degree.
Income requirements are based on the federal income guidelines. A single parent with one child can have an annual income up to $14,570; with two children they can earn up to $18,310 to qualify for the program and so on.
“It will help young parents who have kids to get their degree and a better- paying job,” said Ivonne Fleishman, administrative assistant for enrollment and subsidy.
In order to apply, parents must provide: proof of income for the previous 12 months; birth verification (birth certificate); immunization records; and the child must be 3 years of age by Sept. 1 of the academic year.
Students interested in childcare can contact the Child Development Center at 503-491-7169 to fill out an application.
There are also several scholarships and grants available to assist with the cost of childcare.
The CCAMPIS Grant for Child Development Center families can provide a subsidy for up to 50 percent of the cost of childcare. Students applying for this grant will need to be PELL Grant eligible, maintain satisfactory academic progress, carry a minimum of six credits per term, and keep their CDC account current by making the co-payment every month.