Commit to Keiki - September 2025 Newsletter

DID YOU KNOW?

60% of O‘ahu voters and 68% of Hawai‘i Island voters say they would be more likely to support candidates who prioritize family violence prevention.

Family violence prevention programs protect keiki, support parents, and strengthen the foundation of our communities. Leaders who invest in prevention are investing in safety, stability, and Hawai‘i’s future.

Click here to read Commit to Keiki’s 2024 polling results. New statewide polling will take place in 2026.

September is Child Care Provider Appreciation Month

This September, we recognize the incredible contributions of Hawai‘i’s child care providers. They are the backbone of early learning, helping keiki grow and thrive while allowing parents to work and support their families. Yet despite their essential role, providers face immense challenges, predominately low pay rates, that put the future of child care in Hawai‘i at risk.

Our state currently has the capacity to serve only about one in four keiki under the age of five in licensed child care. Families often wait months or years for openings, while providers themselves struggle with low wages, workforce shortages, and rising costs. The very professionals who care for our children often cannot afford child care for their own families. Ready Keiki, the public preschool expansion strategy for three- and four-year-olds, is helping to fill some of these gaps, yet the number of available seats remains flat due to low workforce availability.

The stakes are especially high right now. At the federal level, shifting budget priorities are putting essential early learning and child care supports at risk. Any reductions would be felt deeply in Hawai‘i, where families already struggle with limited access to affordable care. With the cost of living among the highest in the nation, further cuts would only intensify an already dire shortage of reliable child care.

This uncertainty makes one thing clear: Hawai‘i cannot wait. If we want our youngest keiki to succeed, we must continue to prioritize child care and early learning in our state budget. Every dollar invested in early childhood development yields over seven dollars in returns through stronger school readiness, higher lifetime earnings, and reduced downstream costs in social services and public safety.

As we celebrate Child Care Provider Appreciation Month, we underscore the urgent need to prioritize child care and early learning in Hawai‘i. Our caregivers deserve fair pay, professional support, and the resources they need to continue shaping the future of Hawai‘i’s youngest keiki. By investing now, we can ensure that every keiki has the opportunity for a bright start and that Hawai‘i families have the support they need to thrive.

Looking Ahead: Commit to Keiki’s 2026 Policy Priorities

DID YOU KNOW?

September is Child Care Provider Appreciation Month

Civil Beat, Sept. 15, 2025

Hawaii News Now, Sept. 18 2025

Hawaii News Now, Sept. 19, 2025