Our Story
We are a board of directors working towards the mission of:
* Providing affordable, tuition-based childcare at a licensed childcare center.
* Creating community relationships between our youngest community members and their families, and the greater community of Gratiot County.
Our vision is a community enriched with empowered parents and quality childcare.
We believe all parents deserve to be empowered- to gain or maintain employment or continue their education- knowing that their children are in a safe, nurturing, and enriching environment with qualified caregivers.
Our childcare center offers the following:
* Year-Round care
* 12+ hours/day, 5 days/week operation
* Childcare classrooms to accommodate children aged 0-13 years old, including:
Infant classroom (0-18 months)- Explorers
Toddler classroom (1.5-3 years)- Investigators
Preschool classroom (3-5 years)- Innovators
School-age program (6-13 years)- Pathfinders
Our School age program would include: before and after-school care; availability for school delays, cancellations, and half days; and care during school breaks, including a summer program.
Our vision for quality childcare includes:
* Low ratios to improve individualized attention, care, and education;
* Cozy, inviting classrooms that reflect children’s home environments;
* Highly qualified teachers who continue their training to utilize up-to-date and evidence-based teaching strategies;
* An expanded curriculum to include arts, sciences, music, nutrition, community service, and other extracurricular experiences;
* Field trips and strong connections with the greater community to expand the student’s knowledge and experiences;
* Outdoor play spaces that intentionally reflect and expand classroom interest areas that foster development and open exploration.
Our Services are for all Families:
The services we provide are available to the general public, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of the activities or operations.
How you can help:
1. Join our Board of Directors.
2. Donate. Every contribution counts!
3. Volunteer
4. Other: We hope to get community feedback and helpful ideas from you!
Why we are passionate about this issue:
Gratiot County is a Childcare Desert
A childcare desert is when there are at least three times the number of children than there are licensed childcare spaces available.
Gratiot County has: 2,129 children aged 0-5
+ 2,967 children in grades K-6
Total: 5,069 children potentially needing childcare.
Year-round licensed childcare capacity- 512 spaces available.
When schools are in session: 1,218 children (24%) do not have access to licensed childcare, as 2,967 children are in school, 512 have access to licensed (year-round care), and 399 have access to Preschool programs that run during the school year.
When schools are not in session: 5,069 children have 512 licensed childcare spaces available, leaving 4,584 children (90%) without access to licensed childcare.
Sources: children aged 0-5, children in grades K-6, licensed childcare capacity
Data was compiled in May 2019.
Previous calculations in November 2017 found that 21% of children 0-5 didn’t have access to licensed childcare when school was in session, and 88% of children 0-13 didn’t have access to licensed childcare when school was out of session. Our childcare desert in Gratiot County has been getting worse. Our childcare desert has grown by 3% in Michigan since November 2017.
