GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Childcare is expensive, and not easy to find. Throw in a full-or-part-time job, and the equation gets more difficult.
Through a partnership with Grand Rapids Public Schools, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation may have found a way to solve both problems. Their newest proposal is an early childhood development center inside the Rapid Bus station downtown, allowing parents-on-the-go to drop their kids and get off to work in seconds.
“Just a one-stop-shop of opportunity,” said Yazeed Moore, senior program officer with the Kellogg Foundation. “Parents have to work, so…where do you put your child to ensure that they’re in a nurturing, wholesome environment?”
The Kellogg Foundation already has a robust partnership with GRPS – together they run programming for early childhood development at eight of the system’s schools. Their Purposefully Playing Towards Kindergarten, or PPTK programs, have been helping kids ages 0-5 for several years.
Moore says early childhood education is more than just snacks and naptime, it’s an important first step in a lifetime of education.
“It jump-starts a kid’s life. It leads to higher graduation rates, it leads to better productivity,” he said. “Everything really revolves around, how do we ensure that children and families are getting access to the best quality of education to live their best lives.”
While the project is still in its early stages, the hope would be to make room for around 80 kids at the new center. The Rapid station downtown is already zoned for mixed-use development.
“We’re always excited to explore innovative opportunities with partners,” said Rapid CEO Deb Prato. “The early childhood development partnership is in its infancy and we’re exploring the feasibility of moving forward currently. Ultimately, public transit is embedded in the fabric of our community, we are committed to exploring partnerships that make our community a more equitable, accessible region.”
The aim is to make childcare accessible and commutes shorter. The program, if approved, would cater to lower-income residents. In 2018, the Kellogg Foundation conducted a geographic survey and found the downtown area was particularly devoid of childcare centers, so the need is there.
“It not only prepares the future work force, but it also supports our current workforce as well too,” said Moore.
To learn more about the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, click here.
