SNOQUALMIE — U.S. Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash., Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, visited the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe Child Development Center Thursday to tour their facilities and discuss the childcare crisis Tribal and rural communities are facing, according to an announcement from Murray’s office. 

Murray then visited the YMCA of Snohomish County to tour the facilities and the drop-in daycare room, and met with early childhood education volunteers and educators to discuss the childcare crisis and federal efforts to combat this crisis, the statement said. 

“I’m so glad I was able to secure funding to expand the Snoqualmie Tribe’s child care center, but there is so much more that needs to be done,” Murray said. “As Chair of the Appropriations Committee, you can bet I’ll do everything I can to tackle the childcare crisis and invest in our early education workforce.”

According to the statement, Murray secured $1.5 million in Congressionally Directed Spending through Fiscal Year 2023 government funding for the Snoqualmie Tribe to expand the center to meet the increased demand for childcare services in Snoqualmie and neighboring communities.

The statement said Murray is working to secure $943,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the YMCA of Snohomish County to expand their childcare programs as part of the Fiscal Year 2024 government spending bills.

“From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Snoqualmie region has had a severe shortage of childcare options,” said Robert de los Angeles, chairman of the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe. “With the funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Fund that Senator Murray assisted in securing, the Snoqualmie Tribal Childcare Center underwent an expansion and is better able to meet the critical need for accessible childcare services to our region.”

An estimated 80% of Snohomish County residents live in an extreme childcare desert, the announcement said, and there are only 62 slots of childcare for every 100 infants, toddlers or preschoolers whose parents work —far below the state average of 79 slots per 100 children.

“We are proud of our legacy of service in Snohomish County and consider it a privilege to provide families with high-quality, affordable child care,” said Peyton Tune, president and CEO, YMCA of Snohomish County. “We are grateful for the attention and collaboration of Senator Murray and her focus on alleviating the challenges of working parents. We are committed to expanding access, so all children who need care can thrive in a safe, nurturing environment.”