Childcare to open at First Presbyterian

FINDLAY — A new childcare center will soon open at First Presbyterian Church on South Main Street in Findlay. The church's pastor, the Rev. Jessica Commeret, said church leadership had known there was a need for more childcare in Hancock County. They began meeting with the Hancock County Childcare Collaborative to start discussing options. The church had the space, "but we also knew that we didn't have the capacity to run it ourselves," Commeret said. A church member talked to a neighbor, who had a state-level contact, who in turn put First Presbyterian in touch with Advantage Early Learning Academy, based in Marysville. The organization already had a partnership with a church in another community. The church and Advantage Early Learning Academy have been working together for about a year since then. The new childcare center will provide care for around 210 children, ranging from six weeks to five years old along with school-aged children needing care before or after school. Commeret noted that there is a particular need for care for infants. A member of the congregation looked for childcare recently while she was pregnant, and found herself on a two-year waitlist. "It's something we've talked about here for so long, because we have the space," said church member Susie Chesebro, adding that it's rewarding to know the project fills a need in the community. Elizabeth Wright, who like Chesebro was among the church members working on the collaboration, noted that in pictures of field trips and activities at other Advantage Early Learning Academy locations, "It's obvious they're having a lot of fun, but they're also learning." The childcare center will be in space previously used for Sunday school classrooms and meeting rooms. Commeret noted that a grant from the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation helped to make the project possible. She said she's grateful to the Community Foundation and the community members who have donated to it over the years. It's exciting to feel like "we're part of a community conversation and solution to a huge issue," she said. "To me, it's been a powerful way to say, We can do things together as a community." Along with private pay, the center will offer publicly funded childcare, which is not the case at all childcare centers. Commeret said Advantage Early Learning Academy prioritizes this because they believe every child deserves a chance for quality care, regardless of income. Advantage Early Learning Academy operates childcare centers in Marysville, Marion and Gahanna, including one located in an elementary school. "We're pretty excited to be growing and having these opportunities to be in different communities," said executive director Marissa Abbott. She said none of their buildings look the same. "We prefer to go to communities that need us" and so the organization provides childcare in partnership with other community organizations, such as First Presbyterian Church in this case. "The church has done a great job keeping that space very beautiful," Abbott said, adding that her organization has added some of the more childlike aspects. "We are play-based," Abbott said. "We find that that is one of the best ways for young minds to learn when they don't necessarily think they're learning…. We're all about fun. Everything's exciting." She added that they found in other communities that providing more quality childcare options has helped better prepare children for kindergarten. "We're really excited," she said. "We're glad to be here." The new center is working its way through the inspection and licensing process, but anticipates opening soon. They have been pre-enrolling children and offering tours. Interested families can call 419-408-6650.