Both before and during the pandemic, Child Care Aware® of Missouri (CCAMO) has been collecting and analyzing data around child care in the State. The figures demonstrate what child care experts have long known: Missouri is rife with child care deserts (a county with greater than 50 children under age 5 that contains either no child care providers or so few options that there are more than 3 times as many children as licensed child care slots). These deserts have increased dramatically since the pandemic, leaving few options for families. (author abstract)