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Advocating for a Stronger Future: A Conversation with Lindsay Baker of SouthSide Early Childhood Center

By Sabie Witt, John Burroughs School Senior and Gateway Children's Charity Volunteer

June 1, 2026

For many families in St. Louis, finding affordable, high-quality child care can feel out of reach. Behind the scenes, dedicated advocates are working to change that reality through community organizing, policy initiatives, and public engagement. One of those leaders is Lindsay Baker, Director of Advocacy and Operations at SouthSide Early Childhood Center.

Founded in 1886, SouthSide Early Childhood Center has served generations of St. Louis families and currently provides early childhood education and care to nearly 250 children across two locations. Throughout her nearly eight years with the organization, Baker has witnessed firsthand both the transformative power of early childhood education and the challenges families face in accessing it.

Addressing the Child Care Affordability Crisis

According to Baker, affordability remains one of the greatest barriers for families seeking child care.

“The largest barriers for our parents and families usually come around the affordability component,” Baker explained. “Child care is not traditionally funded for the majority of people.”

Unlike K-12 education, early childhood programs often rely heavily on tuition payments, grants, fundraising efforts, and charitable donations to sustain operations. Despite these efforts, many providers struggle to cover the true cost of delivering high-quality care. SouthSide alone must raise nearly $1.5 million annually to bridge funding gaps.

Recognizing that the challenges extended far beyond a single organization, Baker and other community leaders began exploring ways to strengthen the entire early childhood ecosystem in St. Louis. Through research, community conversations, and partnerships with local organizations, they worked to better understand the needs of children, families, and providers throughout the region.

Turning Advocacy into Action

Those efforts led to a major milestone in 2020 when St. Louis City voters approved a property tax levy dedicated to early childhood education. The measure passed with 56% voter support and now generates approximately $2.4 million annually to support programs benefiting children and families across the city.

Today, SouthSide receives funding from this initiative to provide social-emotional supports for children, including intervention specialists who work directly with students, families, and teachers.

“We know we can only serve so many people,” Baker said. “So we wanted to use our place of privilege to help uplift the entire child care community.”

Building Resilience Through Challenges

The path toward meaningful change has not always been easy. Baker noted that the child care sector has faced significant challenges in recent years, including the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery efforts following severe weather events.

Yet through each challenge, she has seen the resilience of providers, families, and advocates grow stronger.

“It surprises me that we keep going,” Baker shared. “Each time something happens, we become more resilient.”

Looking Ahead: Best Start for Kids St. Louis

Today, Baker and her coalition partners are focused on a new initiative: Best Start for Kids St. Louis. The proposal seeks to increase funding for child care affordability, teacher compensation, and facility improvements through a dedicated sales tax measure. Organizers are currently gathering signatures in hopes of placing the initiative before voters in 2026.

For Baker, however, the work is about much more than policy. It is about empowering community members to engage in the democratic process and advocate for the future they want to create.

“That is the beautiful thing about democracy,” Baker said. “Everybody still has the power to get registered to vote, to go out and be involved, because that’s how we make communities stronger.”

Supporting Children, Families, and Communities

Gateway Children's Charity is proud to spotlight leaders whose dedication and vision continue to strengthen opportunities for children and families throughout the St. Louis region. Through advocacy, collaboration, and persistence, Baker and countless others are helping build a future where every child has access to the support, education, and resources they need to thrive.

While the work that Gateway Children's Charity does plays a critical role in strengthening early childhood programs through grants that support expansion, quality improvements, and capacity building, philanthropy alone cannot solve the child care crisis. The true cost of providing high-quality early childhood education far exceeds what most families can afford to pay, leaving providers dependent on a patchwork of tuition, fundraising, and public funding. Lasting solutions require a combination of private investment and strong state and federal support that helps providers increase teacher wages, improve facilities, expand access, and keep care affordable for families.

About the Author:
Sabie Witt is a senior at John Burroughs School, who graduated in May and volunteered with Gateway Children's Charity as part of her senior project in May 2026. Through this interview she explored the challenges and opportunities facing young children, families, and educators in our community.

Welcome to our newest board member- Jason Tyra

Jason W.R. Tyra serves as Vice President for Enterprise Fleet Management, overseeing the South Central United States. Since joining the company in 2003, he has held a variety of leadership roles across six different states, building high‑performing teams, driving sustainable growth, and elevating client and employee experience. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Jason is a graduate of Auburn University and relocated to St. Louis in the spring of 2020 after spending several years in Chicago.

Jason is passionate about Gateway Children’s Charity because he believes strongly in the power of early childhood education to shape lifelong opportunity. Having dedicated much of his career to developing people and helping individuals reach their potential, he sees GCC’s mission as deeply aligned with his own values. He is committed to supporting high‑impact, tangible investments that give young children in underserved St. Louis communities the strong start every child deserves. Supporting GCC allows him to give back to the St. Louis community that welcomed his family and to help strengthen the foundation for the next generation.

Jason joined the board in January 2026.