HYPER has focused on expanding licensed childcare options in Seward since it started in 2020. In 2019, our newest childcare facility was closed after only 3 years of operation, drawing city wide concern at the loss of 20 full-time childcare slots. SPC organized Town Hall meetings on childcare and launched a community survey to better understand the local issue/need. HYPER was created out of these community conversations. The survey results demonstrated a considerable childcare void, with only two licensed programs providing a total of 20 childcare slots with a community need of over 80 slots. Knowing this, it was unsurprising that in 2021, Seward was identified as a "childcare desert" by Providence Seward Medical Center’s Community Health Needs Assessment. 

In 2021, HYPER secured $500,000 in pass-through funds from Norwegian Cruise Line, designated for economic recovery efforts post-pandemic.  The City of Seward allocated this funding to HYPER, to support the mission of increasing licensed childcare locally. With this financial support we launched our Childcare Provider Startup Grant to support the development of in-home childcare. This program provides a Childcare Liaison to help with the licensing process, regular meetings and technical support, as well as, funding for the cost of licensing requirements and equipment.

As of 2024, HYPER has successfully increased licensed childcare capacity by 150%. In the first year of implementation, our programs expanded childcare by 14 full-time slots. By year 2, 16 more were added for a total of 30 new opportunities for our families. Our community is on track to reach a total of 70 full-time childcare slots by the end of this year as two additional licensed childcare locations are under development, bringing us closer to meeting the need. These achievements were accomplished within an annual budget of approximately $150,000. HYPER's initiatives have directly impacted the childcare needs of the community, reducing the reliance on informal care and babysitters among Seward families. 

In 2023, HYPER was among 17 Alaskan communities to  be awarded the Community Innovation Grant. These additional funds have allowed HYPER to build out more robust programming to support licensed childcare providers and families. HYPER developed the following programs:

• Retainment Incentives & Support for Educators (RISE) - modeled after Juneau's successful HEARTS program, RISE is an incentive program designed to support and encourage childcare providers to pursue further education and training in their field.  

• Family Childcare Stipend - this provides families with funding to cover the cost of their childcare tuition. The program was created for families on a need base system. Those receiving state assistance will have their copays covered by the program. Families receiving no state assistance will receive $200 a month to go towards their tuition costs if their child attends a licensed program less than 20 hours/week and $400 if their child attends more than 20 hours per week. 

• Quarterly provider networking events - networking events for providers give space to collaborate on program structure, inspire new curriculum implementation, build community and introduce new HYPER program offerings. HYPER has brought in state partners to provide training at these events to help licensed providers meet their annual 24 hours of continued education to maintain their licensor.  

• Partnership with RuralCap: Through our innovative partnership we can provide support and infrastructure for capital projects (supported by RuralCAP) for individuals interested in starting up an in-home licensed childcare, providing individuals with an affordable home and sustainable source of income.

As we continue to address this need in our community we will continue to build upon these programs to ensure the sustainability of our local childcare providers and the increased quality of early-childhood education. 

Through our experience we have found that the support of a Childcare Liaison for our potential and current providers is pivotal to our success.

The success of HYPER's initiatives is evident in the measurable outcomes. For instance, the number of licensed child care slots has increased significantly, families have gained access to reliable childcare options, and childcare providers have received support to maintain their licensing and further their knowledge in early childhood education. HYPER's efforts have made significant strides in addressing the childcare deficit in Seward. We remain committed to our mission and look forward to further collaboration and impact in the future.