When communities talk about what they need to grow, the conversation often centers on housing, schools and job opportunities. Those are all important pieces of the puzzle, but another factor is becoming just as critical: access to affordable, reliable child care.
For many families, especially young families, long waiting lists and high costs can be a deciding factor in where they choose to live. Communities across Kansas are feeling that pressure as they work to attract and retain residents.
That’s why the McPherson County Community Foundation (MCCF) has placed an increased emphasis on supporting child care in recent years. The foundation has worked to use funding not only to expand the number of child care slots available in the county, but also to help local providers remain sustainable.
In 2025, MCCF awarded a $20,000 grant to Christ Kids Childcare in Galva. The funding allowed the center to renovate two classrooms by installing sinks in each room, a change required to meet licensing standards for toddler care.
According to Christ Kids Director Haley Pavlovich, the renovations allowed the center to move its toddler program into the updated rooms, freeing up space to expand infant care.
“The year I took over in fall 2024, there were 30 families on our waiting list,” Pavlovich said. “With the project’s completion, we were able to move eight of them off of it.”
The renovation project presented a few challenges. Installing the sinks required drilling through the facility’s concrete foundation, which complicated construction. Contractors ultimately installed the sinks along a shared wall to limit the amount of drilling needed. Remaining grant funds were used to install additional hot water heaters required to meet code.
Pavlovich said Christ Kids has also benefited from Child Care Zones funding available to licensed providers in McPherson and Marion counties. Subsidies for infant and toddler care have helped offset the higher costs associated with those age groups, which can be difficult for nonprofit centers to absorb.
Local support has also played a role. Pavlovich said a local business helped the center acquire new cribs to support its infant expansion.
“This is the first time we’ve operated in the green as an organization,” Pavlovich said. “When you have something that recognizes and supports the work you do, it’s really freeing.”
Pavlovich has also taken on a leadership role in strengthening child care across McPherson County. She works alongside MCCF’s child care task force to provide in-person training opportunities for providers.
Kansas licensing requirements mandate that child care workers complete 16 hours of training each year. Much of that training is typically offered online, but Pavlovich said in-person options can be more effective, especially for new staff entering the field.
“There had to be a better way to teach best practices to new and inexperienced educators,” Pavlovich said.
After completing an in-person training program with her own staff, Pavlovich partnered with MCCF to offer similar training opportunities to licensed providers throughout the county.
She said the increased support for child care in recent years has made a meaningful difference.
“The impact that Child Care Zones has had on children and families in our county is extraordinary,” Pavlovich said. “It has opened up both the quality and availability of care.”
Still, Pavlovich believes the work is ongoing.
“With the right amount of support and continued advocacy for quality care, the future of child care in McPherson County can be transformative,” she said. “But we aren’t there yet.”
