RIH Foundation donation help provide access to child care in Merritt

So far this year, the emergency department at the Nicola Valley Hospital in Merritt has been closed 13 times.

The Family Place Early Learning Centre is the largest childcare facility in Merritt and, thanks to a partnership with Interior Health and a donation from the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation, local healthcare professionals have access to much needed space.

“In order for them to stay focused on work, they need to know their children are in some place that is safe, that is able to accommodate for them,” said executive director Lenora Fletcher. “We even do drop-offs and pickups at the schools, so then they don’t have to worry if their child is in school. We provide that support, as well.”

The partnership launched in September with two of the 10 healthcare spots immediately filled, with others expressing interest. For those taking advantage, it has meant not having to cut back their critical work for community.

“The one who just joined, for her little baby, she had been trying to find day care for a while and until she got with us, she was actually splitting a daycare spot with another healthcare worker in order for her to keep working here in Merritt,” said Fletcher.

Merritt is a little further afield than usual for the RIH Foundation, but the need and opportunity were too great to pass up, as the organization looks to expand its philanthropy outward.

“It’s come to pass that with health care in the situation it’s in, we really have to stretch and take care of everyone in our region,” said RIH Foundation CEO Heidi Coleman. “It’s like wrapping a warm hug around everyone because when we help Merritt, it does help Kamloops, and when we are helping Ashcroft and Williams Lake it is helping us, so we are all in this together.”

“It was such a good cause and a good project, and it made us feel all warm inside,” added Coleman. “We actually changed the mission of our foundation years ago to reach out and support things beyond the walls of the hospital into the community.”

The RIH Foundation helped with funding for the day care’s outdoor play area and fencing.

For Interior Health, the childcare spots provide stability for staff.

“Our healthcare workers, it takes the burden off them for the care of their children during working their shifts,” said Yvonne Tatoiu, Interior Health’s director of clinical operations. “But also it’s a recruitment and retention strategy to help attract qualified healthcare workers.”

Fletcher has seen the challenges at the local hospital first hand. After more than dozen ER closures this year so far, it was important to be part of the solution.

“We do drop-in (care), as well. Say, if an employee is coming from Interior Health from another area because they are filling in a spot, but they have daycare needs, even those opportunities could be made, as well,” said Fletcher. “I was trying to look at being diverse and providing support”