WADENA — In a significant step toward improving access to child care in Wadena, local leaders, project partners and child care experts came together on Wednesday, Aug. 6, to celebrate the grand opening of the new Wadena Area Child Care center.
Located in the north wing of the Astera Health Legacy Campus, the center features four suites designed to accommodate up to 10 children each, with space for four separate child care providers.
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At the helm of the project is Dean Uselman, who serves as the city’s planning and zoning director under the Wadena Development Authority. Uselman opened the ceremony by reflecting on the initiative that began in 2019, when a study done in Wadena County identified a gap in child care options.
With an emphasis on the generous donors who helped bring the project to fruition, Uselman highlighted the importance of the center. In addition to thanking child care providers, Uselman said, “To all of our generous donors, this absolutely wouldn’t have happened without the generosity of this community.”
The project received a significant boost this past January after the city was awarded a $195,000 Child Care Economic Development Grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
In addition to the grant funding from the state, the center was a true community effort, receiving generous support from the Browne Family Foundation, the Michael and Marion Craig Charitable Trust, First Children’s Finance, Initiative Foundation, Lee Lamson Foundation, Mason Brothers/Harrison Foundation, Peterson Foundation and Wadena State Bank. The city of Wadena also designated a portion of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and additional donations were pledged to support the development of the child care facility.
President and CEO of Astera Health Joel Beiswenger noted the significance of repurposing the legacy campus, and thanked the numerous individuals and organizations who helped propel the project forward, noting the community as a whole is why the center was made possible. “This is what small towns are about,” said Beiswenger. “We came together as a community of donors, hard workers, great ideas, support from governmental agencies, private entities and individuals.”
A key partner in the Wadena Child Care Center is MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership, who were brought on board to help advertise, recruit providers, vet providers, and provide ongoing support and monitoring to ensure high-quality child care is provided.
Michelle Wilkowski, Head Start and Early Head Start program director, said MAHUBE-OTWA has been assisting with similar programs for over 20 years with similar sites in Detroit Lakes and New York Mills, and throughout the region, with the goal to expand beyond traditional Head Start programs to include more community collaborative child care settings.
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“It’s a role Community Action Partnership and our agency is wanting to explore and expand because we have a strategic goal of increasing infant and toddler care in our communities,” said Wilkowski. “And then we’re trying to be the bridge, too, to help providers with support.”
Wilkowski said the community feedback about the child care center has been positive, with people expressing excitement and noting the need for child care in the region. “Parents have been reaching out to get on waiting lists, and providers have shown an interest as well,” she said.
Jessica Nelson, a longtime day care provider in Wadena, will be one of the four providers located in the new center. In addition to moving her child care business out of her home, Nelson said she is excited to be part of the initiative. “I’m excited to meet all the new little ones, and this is really great to be here today.”
The opening of the Wadena Area Child Care center provides much-needed child care options to the region while providing access to high-quality child care right in Wadena. For more information on child care services or to become a provider, contact Michelle Wilkowski at mwilkowski@mahube.org or call 218-847-1385.
The Trust Project
