Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato on Wednesday announced a new initiative that aims to create 5,000 childcare and after-school seats across the county over the next five years.
“This isn’t just about creating more spots for childcare, it’s about building a stronger, more resilient system that supports providers and one that works for the people who rely on it,” Innamorato said before a small crowd at the Northern Area Clubhouse of the Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania in Millvale.
Lindsey Ramsey, chief operating officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania, told TribLive the initiative, called “Forward with Families,” is monumental.
“This initiative will help us really touch the heart of our community…and ensure our facilities are conducive to learning, promote professional development, retention, and help thousands of young people on a path forward to bring a strong future,” Ramsey said.
Innamorato has prioritized childcare initiatives throughout her first term. In January 2024, she dedicated $500,000 to the Child Care Matters pilot program, launched in 2022 to provide money for families in need to help offset child care costs.
The county’s 2025 budget allocated $2.5 million to the Department of Children Initiatives, the agency charged with childcare affordability. Ramsey said the funding created an additional 500 childcare spots, “and they filled up immediately.”
“Too many families in Allegheny County are doing everything right and still struggling to find affordable childcare, stable housing, and the support they need to get ahead,” Innamorato said.
Allegheny County Council members Lissa Gieger Schulman and Kathleen Madonna-Emmerling, along with Pennsylvania state Sens. Lindsey Williams, D-Ross, and Nick Pisciottano, D-West Mifflin, attended the announcement.
Pisciottano, who recently welcomed twins with his wife and has a young son, said the high cost of daily living has made it impossible for a family to be supported on one income alone — creating a vital need for childcare to boost employment.
“We need to enact policies that support young families and young people here in Harrisburg,” Pisciottano said. “There’s always an unmet need and we need to do more on the state level to provide quality, affordable childcare to as many families as possible, and ideally, every family that needs it.”
The county executive’s office unveiled a new website to host information on the initiative and updated its program finder website that serves as a centralized resource for childcare options in the county.