By Casey Jarmes | The News-Review
KEOTA – The Keokuk County Community Endowment Foundation has given one of its $25,000 grants to the Keokuk County Childcare Network to assist in opening a new daycare in Keota. The daycare, which will be located in a pair of classrooms in the eastern edge of the elementary school, is being opened thanks to a partnership between KCCN and the school. Superintendent Dave Harper stated that they had hired the daycare’s director and on site coordinator and were shooting for a January 5 opening date. Gary Iosbaker of KCCN stated that a previous survey showed the parents of 18 kids were interested in the daycare and that, in the week since sending out the opening date, nine kids had confirmed they would attend. Harper stated that the daycare had a max capacity of 18 children, and that there was room in the school to expand if needed. Iosbaker called 31 kids a “home run,” because that would get families in the community, putting down roots, and parents working in the community.
In addition to the $25,000 grant this year, KCCEF also gave the network a $5,000 last year, the first money the network was given. That money was used to fundraise more money from the community. The $25,000 grant will go towards wage augmentation, allowing the daycare to pay better and attract better workers. Iosbaker explained that they had established a Childcare Solutions Fund, where local businesses donate to the daycare, to ensure their employees have somewhere to take their kids and are able to work harder. He called this a realization of the idea that it takes a village to raise a child.
“It’s amazing, in my mind, how the community of Keota has risen to the challenge here,” said Iosbaker.
