MCMH + Clinics Commits $50,000 to Support Local Childcare Centers in Villisca and Malvern

 

Montgomery County Memorial Hospital + Clinics (MCMH + Clinics) is proud to announce its continued commitment to supporting local communities and workforce development through donations to two local childcare centers. At the March 2024 board meeting, the MCMH + Clinics Board of Trustees voted to support this initiative, resulting in a pledge of $25,000 to both East Mills Child Care Solutions in Malvern, IA, and the Southwest Valley Early Childhood Education Center - West in Villisca, IA, disbursed over a three-year period.

Southwest Valley Early Childhood Education Center - West (SWV ECEC-West), located in Villisca, IA, was established in Fall 2020 through a community collaboration. Currently serving approximately 50 children, the center is housed in Southwest Valley Elementary School and partners with the Southwest Valley School District. The $25,000 donation will fund critical improvements, including a shade cover for the playground and new indoor classroom equipment. Amber Mullen, Director of SWV ECEC-West, expressed her gratitude: "Thank you to MCMH for your donation. This will allow us to enhance our indoor and outdoor classrooms. Your generosity means a lot to the families and communities we serve!"

East Mills Childcare Solutions is currently in the midst of a capital campaign for a new childcare center in Malvern, IA. The $25,000 donation from MCMH + Clinics will support them at the "Children's Champions" sponsorship level, providing crucial funds to help reach their goal. This contribution will also reserve up to five enrollment slots for MCMH staff members, ensuring priority access to quality childcare services. This investment underscores MCMH + Clinics commitment to the community’s future well-being. Kate McGann Vice President of the East Mills Child Care Solutions stated, "We greatly appreciate MCMH’s commitment to area childcare centers and for recognizing the key role they play in the strength of our local communities. This pledge helps EMCCS get one step closer to our project being a reality, and we are so appreciative of their partnership and generosity!”

In recent years, the MCMH Foundation donated $50,000 to the Red Oak Child Development Center, and the MCMH Board has pledged $50,000 to the Lakin Foundation Child Resource Center of Stanton, Iowa. As the largest employer in the county, with clinics in Villisca and Malvern and employees spread throughout the service area, MCMH + Clinics is dedicated to ensuring the continued success and availability of quality childcare for all. MCMH + Clinics has also made donations of medical and first aid supplies including,  Defibrillators (AED), thermometers, gloves, Band-Aids  and more to both the Lakin Foundation Child Development Center of Griswold, and the Essex Childcare Center, Inc.

MCMH + Clinics CEO, Ron Kloewer, explained: "Supporting local childcare centers is essential for the growth and development of our communities. At MCMH, we believe that investing in early childhood education not only benefits the children and their families but also strengthens our workforce and fosters economic prosperity. We are proud to contribute to our area childcare centers.”

Quality childcare services are crucial for workforce recruitment and economic growth, allowing parents to actively contribute to the workforce. Early childhood education also plays a pivotal role in the cognitive, social, emotional, and long-term health development of children. Supporting childcare efforts is an allowable expense for MCMH, a Chapter 347 County Public Hospital in Iowa.

Looking to the future, MCMH + Clinics remains committed to sustaining support for childcare initiatives in our area. MCMH + Clinics aims to be a leader in long-term, sustainable support for childcare centers and has formed a task force of staff members to collaborate with local childcare centers, the Iowa Women’s Foundation, and other state childcare organizations to develop strategies for ongoing support and ensure the availability of quality and affordable childcare for all.