ICYMI: McDonald Rivet Announces New Efforts to Support Child Care and Education in Mid-Michigan

HEMLOCK- Today, Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) hosted a press conference announcing new federal funding initiatives to support mid-Michigan kids and young adults through child care, community violence prevention, and workforce development. Congresswoman McDonald Rivet was joined at Hemlock Elementary/Early Childhood Center by school officials and parents to discuss how the funding will help young families in the community.

"Child care all over this state is getting harder and harder to find. We have lost 40% of our child care capacity in Michigan in the last 10 years. It's also very difficult for parents to afford…I have requested federal funding for the Hemlock Public School District to go toward expanding their Early Childhood Center. It would expand their capacity, get more kids off their waiting list and onto a path for success," said Congresswoman McDonald Rivet at the press conference. "It's a part of a package of … requests that I am putting in that will help mid-Michigan's kids… All of these things together will create a brighter future for the next generation of Michiganders, hopefully, that will stay right here in our community and build their homes and their families."

The federal funding requests are part of Congresswoman McDonald Rivet's Community Project Funding Initiative to be included in the Fiscal Year 2026 government funding bills. They include:

• A Hemlock Public School District request to expand the Early Childhood Center in an underserved community, providing education and care for local children.
  • "We need to recognize that child care isn't just a convenience, it's essential infrastructure for working families, for our economy, and for the healthy development of our children. Our family is incredibly grateful for the care our children have and currently receive… and I know so many other families would benefit too, if given the opportunity," said Lindsay Kerry, mother of three from Hemlock, at today's press conference. "I want to thank Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet for supporting the Hemlock Early Childhood Center, which will continue to help my family and so many like us."
  • "Having the opportunity to expand and serve more families, serve our broader community, to be able to give them quality child care, is something that we're very passionate about here," said Cory Snider, Principal of Hemlock Elementary/Early Childhood Center. "We're excited about what's ahead, we're deeply grateful for the support that helps make it possible, and thank you for continuing to invest in our kids, our families, and the future of our community."
• A Saginaw HELP Community Violence Intervention Program request to fund community interventions that will curb gun violence, support victims, tackle root causes of violence, and encourage community collaboration for lasting public safety.
  • "Preventing needless deaths to gun violence starts by bringing people together," said Pastor Kareem J. Bowen, CEO of HELP Community Violence Intervention Program. "The funding we seek to secure would help us establish an all-of-the-above approach to keeping our kids safe - mentorship programs, youth engagement, and fostering community-oriented policing are all tools to address the root causes of violence in Saginaw. Congresswoman McDonald Rivet has spoken at our events and knows just how much we can get done, and we are grateful for her fighting for these resources."
• A Flint Community Schools request to renovate and repurpose a closed school building into a state-of-the-art, career-focused high school, driving education and workforce development in Flint.
  • "This project isn't just investing in a school, it's investing in our future," said Flint Community Schools Superintendent Kevelin Jones. "By converting Flint Central High School into a new state-of-the-art, career-focused school, we can set the next generation up for success and strengthen our local economy and community. We're grateful to Congresswoman McDonald Rivet for understanding the vital importance of this project and fighting for its success."