‘Day care desert’: North Port facing child care shortage

SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. (SNN) — The City of North Port is growing in population, but the number of child care centers isn’t catching up.

The Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota aims to help parents find child care. Brigid Kolowith, the chief operating officer for ELC, said child care shortages have increased since the pandemic.

“So many families are waiting a long line to find preschool educational experience for their children. They are on long waiting list, so many waiting list across the county,” Kolowith said.

ELC aims to create more child care by collaborating with businesses.

“We ask business do they have a lot of land, where they are willing to have a child care site on their land,” Kolowith said.