Small Iowa town raises funds for child development center, relieving lack of child care services

GRISWOLD, Iowa. (WOWT) - Finding enough childcare in rural communities can be tough. It’s an issue that parents in Griswold, Iowa are finding a solution to.

They have gathered $2.3 million to build a new childcare center. This weekend was their groundbreaking ceremony.

Many parents in Griswold this weekend felt a bit more relief from the lack of childcare in their town.

“It’s a big need,” parent Karla Wilson said. “I’m not the only person, mom or family that is affected that way.”

Wilson had to stop working to take care of her two kids. She’s lived in Griswold for a while and has only seen one childcare center in her town.

“My kids had to go to two separate ones and that doesn’t really work for a working mom.”

The group behind the funding project is a group called the Noble Initiative Foundation which was started up by the Griswold families.

“About four or five years ago the Noble Initiative Church closed its doors and had start-up money and raised 2.3 million dollars, half was private investors and a half was through grants,” Jared Wyman, Noble Initiative Foundation president said.

The funds will go into building an 8,800-square-foot facility that will have the capacity to hold 100 kids ages 6 weeks to 4 years old.

Sandra Leighton has to drive to Omaha for her job every day. This new childcare center will give her a place she can rely on to drop her kids off. She’s struggled to find childcare centers that have had openings.

“My mom actually retired to watch my daughter because there weren’t any openings,” Leighton said.

Wyman says this new facility will start a new era of childcare services for the town.

Child development centers are in need by every community,” Wyman said. “Here, it’s super important to keep our school enrollment up and for our businesses to be able to have employees and for the families to have a place for the kids when they have to go to work.”

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