♪♪ >> Cathy: EARLIER THIS WEEK MONDAY SPECIFICALLY A GROUP OF PARENTS WERE AT THE HALLIE Q.

BROWN COMMUNITY CENTER.

THE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION WAS THE CLOSING OF WHAT WAS POSSIBLY THE STATE'S OLDEST EARLY LEARNING CENTER.

IT'S THE LATEST CLOSING, BUT IT WON'T BE THE LAST, AS WORKER SHORTAGES CONTINUE TO PUT PRESSURE ON SUCH CENTERS AROUND THE STATE.

BETTY ROBERTS -- BENNY ROBERTS JOINS US TONIGHT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HALLIE Q.

BROWN COMMUNITY CENTER.

SO NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> NICE TO BE HERE, THANK YOU.

>> Cathy: WELL, NOW, WHAT HAPPENED?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> WE'VE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF TRANSITION, I MYSELF AM A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN THE ORGANIZATION, SEVENTH IN OUR 96-YEAR HISTORY.

BUT AS WE HAVE ENTERED THIS STAGE, THERE'S JUST BEEN A LOT OF DIFFICULTY WITH HIRING QUALIFIED STAFF WHO ARE CREDENTIALED TO HELP SUPPORT AND EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN.

>> Cathy: AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD, WE'RE NOT REALLY TALKING ABOUT A DAY CARE, ARE WE?

>> NO, NO.

THEY'RE VASTLY DIFFERENT.

VERY MUCH MORE INTENTIONAL IN THE WAY THAT CHILDREN ARE DEVELOPED AND SUPPORTED IN THEIR PREPARATION FOR GRADE SCHOOL.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU NEED TO GET BACK OPEN AND THRIVING?

>> YEAH, SO WHAT WE NEED IS ACTUALLY A STRONGER ABOR MARKET RIGHT NOW AND THERE'S BEEN TRENDS NOT JUST IN THE STATE BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY POST PANDEMIC AND EVEN CONTINUING MUCH MORE STRONGLY SINCE THEN WHERE PEOPLE ARE GETTING OUT OF THE FIELD.

IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT FIELD O THRIVE IN.

THERE'S A LOT OF FAMILY CFSS FAMILIES THAT JUST DON'T HAVE THE EDUCATION, THE CREDENTIALS, THERE ARE PATHWAYS FOR IT, BUT SYSTEMATICALLY IT'S VERY CHALLENGING ACTUALLY TO SUPPORT EARLY LEARNING CENTERS.

>> Cathy: I'M SENSING THAT THIS IS MAYBE A STATEWIDE PROBLEM.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE WERE SHOCKED ON MONDAY WHEN WE HAD OUR GATHERING THERE AT HALLIE Q.

BROWN.

WE WERE EXPECTING ABOUT 10 TO 15 PEOPLE AND WE HAD OVER 50 THERE.

ESPECIALLY WE HAD ELECTED OFFICIALS, MANY REPRESENTATIVES AND LEADERS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SPACES, CONCERNED PARENTS, AND THIS TREND IS NOT UNFAMILIAR TO ANYBODY ELSE, LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SEEING PEOPLE LEAVE THE FIELD, BURN OUT, LOOK FOR BETTER PAYING JOBS.

>> Cathy: SO WHAT ARE THE KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES GOING TO DO THEN?

>> FORTUNATELY I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO HELP SUPPORT AND NAVIGATE FAMILIES.

BY THE TIME WE CLOSED OUR CENTER WE DID PLACE EVERY FAMILY IN THE COMMUNITY WITH A CENTER THAT HELPS THEIR CHILD THRIVE AS WELL.

>> Eric: WHAT KIND OF SERVICES AND CURRICULUM DO YOU PROVIDE FOR THE KIDS?

>> YEAH.

SO WE WERE USING A CREATIVE CURRICULUM, AND EVERY CURRICULUM KIND OF HAS THEIR OWN DYNAMIC TO IT.

THE ONE WE WERE USING JUST KIND OF HELPS KIDS NAVIGATE INTO THEIR PERSONAL GENIUS WHILE LEARNING SOME OF THE ACADEMIC RIGOR.

>> Eric: WHAT'S THE AGE RANGE?

>> SO WE HAD INFANTS, PRESCHOOLERS, TODDLERS, AND SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN.

SO FROM SIX WEEKS TO 12 YEARS.

>> Cathy: I WONDER, AS YOU SAY THIS IS A TOUGH FIELD.

COULD YOU COMBINE EFFORTS WITH OTHER NON-PROFITS?

>> WE TRIED THAT.

WE TRIED, I MEAN, WE TURNED EVERY ROCK AS FAR AS TRYING TO FIND CREATIVE WAYS AND SOLUTIONS TO MAINTAIN THE FIELD OR EVEN PARTNER WELL.

AND UNFORTUNATELY THEY ALL KIND OF LED TO A DIFFERENT DEAD END FOR US.

>> Cathy: IS THERE A WAY THAT THE STATE -- NOW, THIS IS NOT PROBABLY THE BEST BUDGET SESSION TO ASK FOR MONEY, BUT IS THERE SOMETHING THAT THE STATE MIGHT DO?

>> YEAH.

I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO RAISE A LOT MORE AWARENESS FOR JUST THE SYSTEMIC FLAW CFSS FLAWS IN THE -- STATE BUT ALSO ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH SCHOLARSHIPPING, WITH STAFFING, DEVELOPMENT PIPELINES AND WAYS TO REALLY WRAP AROUND OUR CHILDREN BECAUSE THIS IS A PRIORITY THAT EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY.

>> Eric: YOU'RE COOKIN' UP SOMETHING WITH A SISTER ORGANIZATION IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS?

>> YES.

THAT'S TRUE.

>> Eric: TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> YEAH, SO DURING THE DISCERNMENT PROCESS, BEEN WEARING MANY HATS.

BUT I FOUND A PARTNER, OLU'S BEGINNINGS, A CHILDCARE PROVIDER IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS THAT IS ACTUALLY THRIVING AND LOOKING TO EXPAND.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING OUT A DEAL WITH THEM TO BRING THEM TO HALLIE Q.

BROWN AND HAVE THEM OPERATE THE SERVICE AND PARTNER WITH THEM FOR THE WRAPAROUND AND HOLISTIC SERVICES WE OFFER AT OUR CENTER.

>> Cathy: SO YOU ARE NEW DIRECTOR OF OF THE HALKE EQUIPMENT CFSS EQUIPMENT BROWN CENTER NON-PROFIT AND THIS IS A TOUGH ATMOSPHERE THAT WE HAVE NOWADAYS.

HOW'S YOUR JOB BEEN?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, IT'S TREMENDOUSLY DIFFICULT BUT I ACTUALLY DO FEEL LIKE I'M IN MY CALLING.

I'M A THIRD GENERATION HALLIE Q.

BROWN PARTICIPANT AND RONDO DESCENDENT, I KNOW HE HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION BUT ALSO ITS IMPORTANCE SO I'M LOOKING TO PUSH US FORWARD IN A SPACE WHERE WE CAN THRIVE, BUT WE HAD TO STEP BACKWARDS TO DO IT.

>> Eric: WISH YOU LUCK AND