The child care center run by the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA has completed its move from Woodmere to its new location at Sojourn Church, 1027 McRae Hill Rd., in Traverse City. With the move to Sojourn, the YMCA will be able to increase its infant/toddler capacity by 22 percent, from 56 students in five classrooms to 78 students in seven classrooms.

While the new location is far south of the Woodmere facility (which was sold last fall), a market analysis undertaken by the Y showed that most of the families using the facility actually live closer to Sojourn church than to the Woodmere facility.

Moreover, the new facility is better suited to child care and teaching and learning, as each of the rooms have ceilings and windows.
“We know that child care availability and expense is becoming a serious problem for families to sustain employment. With our financial assistance and increased capacity size, we feel we will be able to alleviate some of the burden on these families,” says YMCA President/CEO Jay Buckmaster.

The opening of the new center opening is especially critical as Northern Michigan faces a child care crisis. Noah’s Ark Daycare closed earlier this year, forcing the families who used that facility to find alternative care for their children. Some families continue to remain on year-long waiting lists.

For some families that are not able to afford and/or find good, quality child care, especially in the infant/toddler age range, the only option is to forfeit their employment and stay home with their children. Others make due with options that do not always provide the fundamental social and emotional/educational development they need prior to kindergarten. 

“We know that child care availability and expense is becoming a serious problem for families to sustain employment. With our Financial Assistance and increased capacity size, we feel we will be able to alleviate some of the burden on these families,” says Buckmaster. 

“Ultimately, we felt that it was our social responsibility to find a way to provide high quality education-based child care for the families in this area,” says Child Development Director Courtney Kane.