Our Fête en Rouge non-profit beneficiary, Women Helping Women Fund Spokane, just released the State of Women and Children 3.0, it’s October 2026 update on the well-being of women and kids in Spokane County. It pulls together county health data, community surveys, interviews with local service providers, and focus groups within women in our region. Here are some findings that stood out for women building businesses and careers in our community (but we definitely recommend you give it a full read too).
Photo by Emily Star Poole
Childcare is (shocker) still the biggest pressure point.
Half of local caregivers with kids under 6 reported at least one unmet basic need, and childcare topped the list. The county is short on childcare spots for roughly 45% of young children whose parents all work. For a single mom with an infant and a preschooler, median childcare costs would eat up more than three-quarters of her monthly income. Even families who have care aren’t in the clear: over a third had to miss work or school in the past year because their arrangement fell through.
Isolation is real, especially for younger women and moms.
Nearly 6 in 10 Spokane women said they feel isolated at least some of the time. That number climbs to 71% for women ages 18 to 34 and 63% for women with kids at home.
The sandwich years are heavy.
Among women ages 35 to 44 with children at home, 30% reported stress from taking on care for an older adult, compared with just 2% of women that age without kids.
Women want business and money skills.
Across focus groups, women talked about wanting to build wealth and start businesses, and about the small things that stand in the way, like not knowing how to get licensed to sell baked goods or never being taught financial and legal basics.
So what does this all mean for you?
As an employer, building workplace flexibility for families with complex health or educational needs is critical. As community members and business owners, volunteering with or contributing to local organizations supporting women and children makes a huge difference. Staying connected is a lifeline that many of us can afford to make and so many of you are already working toward day in and day out.
Head below to read the full report and learn more about how you can support the efforts of Women Helping Women Fund in our community.