Happy One-Year Anniversary to KIDS Place
Pastor Mary Ann Randolph
Was it just a year ago that we opened the doors of KIDS Place for the first time?
It seems like it has always been here, always been a part of East Side Church. And yet it took months, and months, and months of dreaming and planning, of meetings with architects and state and county officials, of ever-changing plans and multiple pivots as we learned how to make the dream a reality.
It was going to take a lot of money we didn’t have to update the facility, install a sprinkler system and purchase the necessary toys, curriculum and equipment. We needed an amazing team to write policy manuals and parent handbooks, develop budgets and set tuition rates, and partner with local agencies to provide support our families would need.
Miraculously, and I do mean miraculously, God provided everything we needed and more. Grants worth more than $400,000; a leadership team, Stacy Daugherty and Brittany Shryock from our congregation, with passionate hearts and years of experience in childcare; support from the community, and prayer partners from across the country. And every miracle happened just when we needed it.
One year in and the blessings have continued coming. Our classrooms are filled with laughter and giggling from our children and their teachers. Our state facilitator raved about our program and facilities at our annual inspection and wants to bring other directors here for a tour. Our teaching staff are training to become even more skilled. Our parents are constantly praising and thanking the team for taking such good care of their children.
As our Director Stacy Daugherty posted on Tuesday,
"1 year ago, today we opened the doors to our new adventure, KIDS Place Early Learning Childcare. It has been a year of growth, adventures, tears of joy and sadness, new families but more importantly feeling God's presence in this place, knowing we are fulfilling his plan. We have grown as a facility, as a family and spiritually through this journey. God has major plans for this place, and I am so honored he chose me to be a small part of it."
