Thursday, August 6, 2009

Nearly 100 Wichita families — including dozens with special-needs children — are scrambling to find child care after Rainbows United filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Rainbows, which serves about 2,600 children, announced last week that it will sell two buildings, lay off staff members, reduce services and downsize child care.

Rainbows declared bankruptcy after finding misleading internal financial statements and realizing it owed the Internal Revenue Service $2.3 million in withholding taxes.

Rainbows spokeswoman Michelle Eastman said the organization is eliminating child care for 94 children — including 36 infants or toddlers with special needs.

Teresa Rupp, executive director of the referral agency Child Start, says she doesn't think Wichita has the responses to respond to the closure.