Meet Sarah Crockford. Director of Ministries at St. John’s United Methodist Church.

Sarah Crockford has two children that have gone through the Rock Hill school system, one graduating from Northwestern High School and one ready to graduate college. She is the Director of Ministries at St. John’s United Methodist Church and spearheaded the childcare efforts to support families in need of the service with the district’s Return to School plan during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Childcare is such a basic need for working families and full-time daycares were not looking to take extra children in because of all the COVID protocols,” Sarah said of her efforts, “We were trying to provide an option for parents in our community who needed someplace safe for their kids to go.”

The childcare program at St John’s United Methodist Church was only an after-school program that provided pick up from the local Rock Hill schools. The program was not set up for the elements of a full day childcare program such as lunch, staffing, or small pods that were needed because of COVID-19 safety. Sarah Crockford organized efforts to quickly and safely remake the entire program to adapt to the changing needs of families who were struggling to find full day childcare. “I think it’s important for the faith community to find a way to be a part of the larger community,” Sarah said.

Other surrounding communities soon saw the same need to support families and Sarah spearheaded the collaboration with seven local churches to share resources and help them set up similar situations. “Our faith community has a role to play and a responsibility to participate in our community to do what we can to share resources,” Sarah said, “When we work together that way we do more than any one of us can do ourselves.”  

Sarah believes it’s important to make sure our children are well cared for and have a community to grow up in that loves and cares for them, “It’s important for local community and schools to work together as one.”