Employer Champions
Business Coalition
Since 2020, Excel by Eight has mobilized Arkansas businesses to identify workable solutions that address the three critical elements of the child care crisis – accessibility, affordability, and quality – and its impact on the state’s current and future workforce. Beginning in early 2024, the business coalition meets quarterly to discuss policy goals to prepare for upcoming Arkansas Legislature sessions. Learn more here. Coalition membership is free. Register to join today!
Employer Champions
There are many ways in which to support access to child care for employees. If you are an employer that offers a child care benefit of some type, we would love to spotlight you among our Arkansas Employer Champions. Contact XXXX@excel.8.net to get started!
Arkansas Employer Champions
Goodwill Industries
Springdale, AR
Goodwill Industries of Arkansas offers free on-site child care through their Excel Center program. This program provides students ages 19 and older the opportunity to earn a high school diploma. The school offers flexible class schedules to meet the needs of working and busy adults and provides support services to remove barriers to high school graduation: free on-site child care, transportation assistance, and a life coach. Learn more here.
Goodwill Industries Little Rock, AR
Goodwill Industries of Arkansas offers free on-site child care through their Excel Center program. This program provides students ages 19 and older the opportunity to earn a high school diploma. The school offers flexible class schedules to meet the needs of working and busy adults and provides support services to remove barriers to high school graduation: free on-site child care, transportation assistance, and a life coach. Learn more here.
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR
The University of Arkansas Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and serves children eight weeks to five years old. The program began with a $2.5 million lead gift from the Tyson Family Foundation and the Tyson Foods Foundation for the center, which provides care for more than 140 children. Learn more. Learn more here.
Walmart Bentonville, Arkansas
Walmart’s Little Squiggles child care center is operated in partnership with Bright Horizons. The center is spread across two large buildings, which can accommodate over 500 children from infancy to pre-K. Walmart benefits include health insurance, an Employee Assistance Plan, paid time off, including paid sick leave, as well as up to 16 weeks of paid maternity and six weeks of parental leave. Walmart associates know their work schedule two weeks in advance so they can prioritize their well-being and plan for life outside of work. Learn more here.
Tyson Foods
Springdale, Arkansas
Tyson Foods, headquartered in Springdale, AR, offers a wide range of family benefits including an Employee Assistance Program, a Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP) – that enables employees to set aside up to $5,000 tax-free annually to reimburse for child care expenses, a health savings account, which allows reimbursement for health expenses, and up to eight weeks of paid parental leave. Onsite child care is offered in several locations. Learn more here.
Nabholz Central Arkansas
Nabholz, a commercial construction, infrastructure, and industrial services company is headquartered in Central Arkansas with locations also in Fort Smith, Van Buren, Jonesboro, and Northwest Arkansas. Company benefits include free health insurance, paid vacation & holidays, retirement, and 6 weeks of paid parental leave to care for a newborn or adoptive child. Learn more here.
Share Your Story!
If you have an employer-led child care initiative that you would like to see included on this page, please email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.net so that we can spotlight your success!
Excel by Eight Communities
Excel by Eight communities are local models for change. Parents, educators, health professionals, and other community members identify gaps in community resources and services to develop strategies for improving child outcomes.
Excel by Eight partners with six communities in this effort: Conway County, Independence County, Little Rock, Sevier County, Union County, and Jefferson County. Learn more here.