I was away at the beach when I first heard about the sudden closing of the childcare center called Lakeshore Little People's Place. I pass by it every day as I come to my office. It stands between Harderwyk's Red Brick Building where our offices are and the Anchor Gym across the parking lot. Since hearing about the closure, I have followed the events as reported in The Holland Sentinel and been suprised to read the center consistently referred to as "Lakeshore Little People's Place Harderwyk" or "Harderwyk location."
So what does Harderwyk Ministries have to do with this unfortunate and disruptive series of events? As I said, not much.
Lakeshore Little People's Place is an independent business with it's own governing board that leases building space from Harderwyk Ministries. They had four - now only three - different locations in Holland and Hamilton, all of them using building space connected with churches. Here is what I learned from their website:
How We Started
In 1993, a group of community members noticed a need for local Christian childcare. To ask for help, they contacted the Holland Deacons’ Conference, a coalition of Christian Reformed churches. After exploring many options, it was suggested that churches could partner to provide childcare for the community. In 1997, Lakeshore Little People’s Place opened its doors for the first time, serving twenty preschool children at Maplewood Reformed Church. Our program continued to grow and by August of 1997, we were able to open two additional centers. Today, we serve more than 400 children and families across four locations in the Holland and Hamilton areas. - CLICK HERE for link to site.
Some Observations
Two things stand out to me as I've followed this situation:
This Is Hard For Families of the Children
Wow! I can only imagine the disruption for the parents of the children served - married couples, single parents, grand-parents helping out. Less than 48 ours before starting work on Monday, you find out that your pre-school child/ren are without the care that they have been accustomed to! Hard on parents and disrupting on the children themselves.
Staffing Continues To Be A Challenge For Local Businesses
Harderwyk Ministries has one liaison on the board of LLPP. They explained to me how that unexpected and sudden resignations by multiple staff made it impossible to open and meet both the safe expectations of families and mandatory state staffing ratios. While I can't know what led to that situation, I can see the consequences that we all have to deal with. Ouch all around.
At present, we at Harderwyk have no plans regarding what might be next for the building that we leased to Lakeshore Little People's Place all these past years. Things happened as unexpectedly for us as it did for the managers of LLPP and families of the children served. We are gathering facts, generating options and researching costs. We will see where the Lord leads in the months to come.
For now, our hearts go out to all affected by this sudden turn of events, most of all the children and their families and then the staff and leaders of LLPP.
Holland Sentinel Articles
May 24 - Lakeshore Little People's Place closes Harderwyk location amid staffing struggles
- CLICK HERE for article.
June 2 - Parents: Sudden childcare center closure was ‘disappointing,’ ‘heartbreaking’
- CLICK HERE for article.
June 6 - Staff, families come together for student celebration after LLPP daycare closure
CLICK HERE for article.
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