Spotlight: Alaska State Chamber

In 2023, the Board of Directors at the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce included child care in their 2023 legislative agenda which serves as the foundation for the Chamber’s advocacy efforts. A summary of Chamber positions can be found on their website here. 

Spotlight: Credit Union 1

Credit Union 1  invested in child care by opening Little 1s, an on-site child care program at its Abbott location in 2006.

“I saw really good employees drop out of the work force because they didn’t have access to child care,” said then CEO Leslie Ellis. “I took a big leap of faith and had a child care center designed into our headquarters.” As a result that vision, CU1 employees have be utilizing Little 1s Child Care at its Abbott location since 2006.

Since then, CU1 has invested in quality at its child care by employing nationally accredited early childhood educators at Little 1s and participating in Learn & Grow, Alaska’s Quality Rating and Improvement System. This approach helps to ensure families know their children are getting ready for school.

To further the culture that supporting families with child care is critical for company-wide retention, employees at statewide locations are reimbursed for child care costs.  Over the years, CU1 has seen an increase in employee well-being and retention, demonstrating that a business investment in early care & learning really works!

At thread‘s 2019 No Small Matter: A Summit on the Economic Impact of Early Care & Learning in Alaska  Credit Union 1 showcased their model for success and led the conversation about the importance of early care & learning for our economy.