Spirited Community Support Paves the Way Childcare Centers in Western Iowa

As the need for childcare increased, thought leaders in two communities of the Western Iowa Advantage region emerged to create solutions to benefit its working families. The need for a facility in Glidden, Carroll County, became apparent when parents who worked in town had to drive their kids twenty miles east to Jefferson or seven miles west to Carroll for care in a licensed facility. 
“Childcare is a sore subject everywhere,” said Jeremiah Johnson, one of the original Vision Group members who in 2018 volunteered to identify a resolution.

The Lil’ Wildcat Education Center (LWEC) - a reference to the Glidden-Ralston school district mascot - opened in August 2022 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a waiting list. “I love what we have developed,” said LWEC director Jordan Lawson. “We serve children in the Glidden community and surrounding towns.”

Boasting 4,940 sq. ft., the facility can accommodate up to 70 children ages 0-12 and 20 staff members, has a fenced-in playground, dedicated rooms for infants, toddlers, and additional age groups, offers before and after school programs and is open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

“The number of children in our community needing childcare far outweighed the number of available childcare spots, not unlike so many other communities,” added LWEC board member Kimberly Whitaker. “I wanted better for the families in my community and to be part of the solution.”

Community support for the facility involved more than 70 individuals and a handful of area businesses and churches who made pledges during fundraising. Additionally, the Glidden-Ralston Community School District generously donated property next to the Glidden-Ralston School on which the childcare center could be built, making drop-off and pick-up convenient for participating families. “The value to the community is almost immeasurable! More young families using our center will hopefully translate to more kids in our schools,” said LWEC board member Will Reever. “It also helps local businesses during the hiring process.” 

Additional financial support came from the Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative through a grant from the USDA Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant (REDL&G) program, as well as a Community Development Block Grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority and Future Ready Iowa grants. 

Residents in nearby Manilla, Crawford County, faced a similar challenge. In 2022, the Little Hawks Childcare Center (LHCC) opened as a nonprofit 501(c)3 to provide care in a group environment for up to 150 children ages six months to ten years old. 

“We conducted a needs assessment survey, and the results revealed a substantial demand for child care services in our region, leading to its designation as a ‘child care desert,’” said LHCC strategic planning committee member and board president Katelyn Hodne. “As a parent of two young children, I experienced the lack of childcare options in our town, forcing me to commute to Denison with my children for childcare. I knew many other parents were likely facing similar difficulties.”

The community had been disheartened following the closure of its IKM-Manning school building in Manilla in 2014. The 10,000 sq. ft. west wing remained vacant until 2020, when the school board sold it to the Manilla Economic Development Corporation for $1.00. Renovating the old building into a childcare facility was made possible by a strategic planning committee and various grants from Future Ready Iowa, Monogram Foods, Aureon, Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Co., Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa, and Iowa Child Care Resource & Referral. Additional support came via a Community Betterment Block Grant of $300,000, which included matching funds of $55,000 each from the Manilla Municipal Gas Department and Manilla Municipal Utilities. Generous donations from residents and community fundraising efforts made the dream of a childcare center a reality. 

Soon after it opened, Governor Kim Reynolds toured the building and then sat down to read a book to the children. “Looking back, the scale of this project seemed daunting. Countless hours, often unnoticed, have been poured into it by the board and others,” said Hodne. “Our small community's unwavering support, coupled with our incredible director’s and staff’s dedication, has made it all possible.”