SC Telco Federal Credit Union is thinking outside-the-box to ensure employees and their families are taken care of during this unprecedented time. After South Carolina Governor McMaster announced school closings on March 15, SC Telco’s Executive Leadership Team established free childcare for all staff families from ages K5-8th grade. SC Telco opened its doors for Kids Kamp on March 16 – the day after the announcement.
CEO Brian McKay shared, “We knew school closings would put stress on all working parents. With a firm belief that family comes first and employee care as our top priority, the leadership team quickly executed initiatives to give peace of mind to our staff – things such as additional paid sick leave and remote working options. Unfortunately, some roles such as our front-line staff cannot work from home. For these individuals, we provided free childcare as a tangible way to help during this difficult time.”
Kids Kamp averages 6 children daily with nine SC Telco families represented. In the first week, employees rotated shifts, voluntarily watching the children and conducting activities. In latter weeks, staff family members assisted – one a graduate student and another a teacher. Each day is a new adventure, as kids enjoy crafting, outside walks and sidewalk chalk, streaming kid-friendly films, and completing required school assignments – with the help of volunteers.
Allison Lunsford, an SC Telco employee, has brought her five-year-old son to Kids Kamp daily. She shared, “SC Telco FCU has gone above and beyond with assisting their staff with childcare during the pandemic. Both my husband and I work and don’t have relatives nearby that can assist with childcare. The compassion and understanding SC Telco has shown its employees is tremendous, and I am so thankful. Not only does my son have someone trustworthy looking out for him, staff are also assisting him with his schoolwork which frees up some time when we get home.”
“We know that when our employees are taken care of, then they, in turn, are well-positioned to take care of our members,” stated McKay. “Through simple acts such as offering Kids Kamp, we want to continue to show our employees how much we appreciate and value them, especially as we navigate the impacts of COVID-19 together.”
With the recent announcement of school closings through the end of April, SC Telco plans to continue to offer Kids Kamp as long as needed to staff families.