The Operation Child Care Project (OCCP) Launches In Texas

Child care access in the military community has moved from an issue to a crisis. This crisis leads to chronic debt, leaving military families struggling to support themselves after costly relocations. San Antonio, Texas, also known as Military City USA, houses Joint Base San Antonio. JBSA is the largest and most diverse joint base in the Department of Defense, it is also one of the top 5 military family child care deserts. In providing scholarships to these families, OCCP prevents the cycle of unemployment, food insecurity, housing instability, mental health challenges, and the erosion of recruitment and retention. Resources have been allocated by OCCP directly to this location to help lighten the burden for a large number of families.

The OCCP's mission, Unleashing the Power of Freedom: Empowering Military Families to Thrive, centers on ensuring military families have access to affordable, high-quality child care options, enabling them to pursue their career goals and foster stable living conditions. To achieve this mission, OCCP offers scholarships to military families during transition periods, granting access to superior child care that would otherwise be unaffordable. These scholarships elevate their quality of life and provide the freedom to confront challenges head-on.

By expanding access to child care options, OCCP enables military families to attain financial stability through employment opportunities, leading to positive transformations in their lives and communities.

OCCP advocates for policy reforms to improve child care accessibility and affordability for military families. Collaborating with key stakeholders and policymakers, OCCP aims to dismantle barriers hindering access to child care support. Additionally, OCCP implements innovative solutions to minimize care disruptions during critical transition periods for military families.

The Operation Child Care Project conducts comprehensive research and analysis of available child care options, scholarships, and support systems. By developing user-friendly online platforms and resources, OCCP ensures families have reliable and up-to-date information. The organization works towards simplifying the process of accessing military subsidies and non-traditional care options, creating a brighter future for military families.

Executive Director Kayla Corbitt has spent over a decade collaborating with researchers and working directly with military families in their pursuit of child care. Kayla created an organization called Operation Child Care which is based out of Hampton Roads, Virginia. Operation Child Care focuses on non-traditional care needs that are not being met in the military community. 

Kayla offers, “Would you be surprised to learn that, more often than not, the difference between a military spouse accessing child care and accepting employment comes down to less than $2,000?”

This is what prompted the creation of The Operation Child Care Project. OCCP provides life-changing scholarships, empowerment through information, systemic change through reform, and streamlines the military child care fee assistance process.

The Operation Child Care Project (OCCP) stands as a beacon of hope for military families navigating the challenges of child care. Through its unwavering commitment to providing affordable, high-quality child care options, OCCP empowers these families to thrive and succeed. By bridging the gap between demand and availability through data-driven decision-making, advocacy, and authentic storytelling, OCCP cultivates a strong, inclusive, and thriving community for military families. For more information about OCCP and its initiatives, please visit occproject.org or follow the organization on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Together, let us support those who have dedicated their lives to serving our nation.

The Operation Child Care Project (OCCP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to empowering military families facing child care insecurity. With a focus on enhancing military family quality of life and readiness, OCCP aims to provide affordable, high-quality child care options. By reducing the burden of child care challenges, OCCP seeks to support military spouse employment, improve the well-being of military children, and create stable environments for these families.

More information is available at occproject.org or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.