Nine-to-Five Child Care No LongerSuits Parents in Today’s 24-Hour Economy (NAPSA)—Job cuts and a weak economyare forcing many parents to work multiple jobs at nontraditional hours just to make ends meet. For many, nine-to-five jobs are a thing of the past and child care hours have not adjusted to meetthis need. Child care is a top concern, according to a recent YMCAof the USA survey. The needs are greatest among single parents and those who don’t work nine-to-five: More than 2 out of 3 parents say they have no programs in their communities that offer extended-hour child care programs * 80 percent of single parents and 78 percent of younger parents (ages 18-34) are concerned about child care costs 2 out of 3 parents want child care to start at 5:00 a.m. and 1 in 4 parents are interested in latenight programs 1 in 8 parents are interested in weekendcare “Extended day care and infant and toddler care have become top concerns for 15 million families who work nontraditional hours,” said Cheryl Bachelder, president, Colonel’s Kids Board of Directors, KFC Corporation president and chief conceptofficer. Twenty-nine million children under the age of 13 are in dire need of child care and that prompted KFC’s Colonel’s Kids to partner with YMCA of the USA in a multi-year child care partnership. Colonel’s Kids will help YMCAs, the country’s largest provider of child care, support two underdeveloped child care areas * extended hour care infant and toddler care Inspired by Colonel Harland Sanders’ love for children and commitment to family values, KFC is one of the first corporations to address the child care issue nationally. In the past two years, participating restaurants have raised more than $1 million for Colonel’s Kids through in-store fundraisers. Beginning this month, KFC is launching a new fundraiser where a portion of proceeds from every Kids Laptop Pack will be donated to Colonel’s Kids. Fundswill be distributed to qualifying YMCA Child Caresites nationwide later this month. “Together we can offer parents a chance to provide their children with the best care possible,” says Kenneth L. Gladish, Ph.D., na- tional executive director, YMCA of the USA. “With the generous support of Colonel’s Kids, the YMCA is working to provide innovative programs that will help provide parents not only quality child care when and where they needit, but peace of mind, as well.” To help support Colonel’s Kids and for more information about YMCA Child Care, please contact the Colonel’s Kids hotline at (800) 874-3278 or log on to www.colonels kids.com or www.ymca.net.
