NEBRASKA CITY - Nebraska City Tourism and Commerce has scheduled its Hot Topics forum at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14, at the Morton-James Public Library.

The subject for the hour-long event is the childcare crisis. Speakers representing in-home daycare, a center and SENCA Head Start are scheduled, as well as economic developer Dan Mauk.

This is scheduled following the “Day Without Childcare,” which is scheduled May 12 to demonstrate the value of childcare to the workforce.

Community Change Action says thousands of childcare providers have pledged to take action in response to a childcare crisis. Many will shut down or close early  on Monday, May 12 for the fourth annual National Day Day Without Child Care.

The organization’s list of demands includes thriving wages, affordable access and no cuts to Head Start, Medicaid and SNAP.

Latest Trump budget maintains funding for Head Start, however cuts up to $230 billion for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is being debated. The proposed cuts over the next decade would be 20 percent of the federal support. Congress is also considering cuts in SNAP and Medicaid programs.

First Five Nebraska has scheduled a rally in support of Head Start on Tuesday, May 6, at noon at the Capitol in Lincoln.