BEND, OR -- Envision Bend continues its Vision Roadshow next week, with a community meeting on one Action Plan point, Expanding Access to Childcare.

"Childcare, often times people think of infants to age five,  preschool or before kindergarten. But really childcare extends all the way through school ages. And the before and after school care is critical to this conversation," Executive Director Matt Muchna says the lack of childcare for all ages hinders Central Oregon's growth, "Many working families aren't able to stay in the region. They can't find childcare; they can't find the support they need to stay and afford living in this region. And I think because of that, it's one of the key issues impacting our economy and also the livability of our region."

He tells KBND News the Vision Roadshow is intended to spark a conversation, "Where are we at and what do we need to move forward and what aren't we doing? And, what are some key metrics we can use to understand if we are actually making progress on this complex issue. We're going to be hearing from partners from NeighborImpact and also from the Boys and Girls club of Bend. Just some updates on their work."

The community is invited to provide input and suggestions at the free, family-friendly event. The meeting is Tuesday, August 20th at the Downtown Bend Library from 5 to 6:30 PM.