Our Focus

Our top priority is to meet our fundraising goal so that we can:

  • Open in 2025, allowing us to start serving families with limited or no childcare options, and to start generating operating revenue.
  • Ensure the center’s layout is aligned with best practice in early childhood design and meets all licensing rules and safety requirements.
  • Employ and retain long term quality instructors who empower children to succeed.
  • Build the center with capacity for 48 children, knowing it could take 4-5 years to reach full enrollment.
  • Be ready to take care of children from 6 weeks old to 12 years old.

Location

We recently identified a space within the hospital currently used for storage and meeting space. Friend Community Healthcare System is the only city-owned hospital in Nebraska, which recently converted to the state’s first Rural Emergency Hospital and one of less than a dozen in the country.  While a difficult decision, the conversion will ensure the hospital’s viability for many years and ensure that all ages are provided health care in our community.  We are excited that young families could bring new life to an unused portion of the hospital and offer mutual benefits to the families, children, and staff of the hospital and childcare facility alike.

Immediate & Long-term Community Growth & Success

More than 150 high-quality, scientific studies from all over the world demonstrate that early learning is linked to progress in school, increased earnings, social and emotional well-being and reductions in anti-social behavior, welfare participation, and trouble with the law.

While creating a stronger future, early learning providers like Friend Learning Center also positively affect productivity, engagement, and earnings of working parents today. When businesses consider setting up shop in our area, they want to know if the local employee base is positioned for success at work. We will provide:

  • Childcare service and learning experiences that working parents seek for their families.
  • A safe, supportive learning environment that is affordable, flexible, and welcoming to all.
  • Encouragement for families to make the life-changing decision to move to our area.
  • The ability to grow our capacity as businesses grow.