During this episode of The Empty Office Podcast, Senator Tobin sits down with Thread CEO Stephanie Berglund. Thread serves as Alaska’s child care resource and referral network. This year, Thread is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The toll-free number to contact Thread is 1-800—278-3723.

One of the major points of discussion on the podcast is the annual ROOTS awards, which serve as a recruitment and retention stipend for early childhood educators across Alaska. The current version of the FY 2027 operating budget under consideration in the Alaska House of Representatives includes $7.5 million for the ROOTS awards grants.

During this episode of The Empty Office Podcast, Senator Tobin and Stephanie Berglund also discuss Alaska’s ongoing child care crisis. About 20% of Alaska’s childcare programs have closed in the last 4 years, and over 19,000 Alaska families are still seeking childcare.

Both Senator Tobin and Stephanie Berglund were members of the Governor’s Task Force on Child Care, which wrapped up its work in late 2024. The Task Force commissioned a study on the cost of child care in Alaska and put forward 56 recommendations, outlined in two reports.

* Governor’s Task Force on Child Care - Report 1

* Governor’s Task Force on Child Care - Report 2

* Child Care in Alaska: The True Cost of Care

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