CHA Announces Funding for Klamath Community College Childhood Learning Center
A new educational and support center for low-income families in Klamath Falls is scheduled to open next spring, and Cascade Health Alliance (CHA) has stepped up to help bring the project to fruition.
CHA recently announced it has awarded more than $363,000 to Klamath Community College for the KCC Childcare Learning Center, a 29,000-square-foot, on-campus facility that will host students pursuing degrees in education while expanding much-needed access to quality childcare in the community.
Funding comes from the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) pilot program and will go toward the center’s nearly $20 million price tag. The project is a collaboration between KCC, Klamath County, and the nonprofit Oregon Child Development Coalition, with the goal to strengthen access to quality and affordable childcare while training the next generation of educators.
Grant Kennon, CEO of Cascade Health Alliance, said the lack of affordable childcare is one of the most significant hurdles for TANF recipients as they pursue employment, education, stable housing, mental health treatment, or substance use disorder. By reducing childcare instability, Kennon said the center will directly support TANF recipients and create a well-educated workforce to serve rural Oregon.
“Supporting KCC’s Childcare Learning Center is a natural and powerful extension of CHA’s mission to build healthy community by investing in strong, stable families right here at home. By removing the barrier of affordable childcare, we empower low-income families to pursue higher learning and self-sufficiency while simultaneously training the next generation of early childhood educators, creating a cycle that strengthens families, grows our local workforce, and advances healthier, more resilient communities for all.”
— Grant Kennon, CEO, Cascade Health Alliance
Once completed, the center at KCC will include:
- Twelve adaptable care and education classrooms for up to 140 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers
- Two classrooms for KCC education program students
- A spacious multi-use common area
- A commercial-grade kitchen for preparation of healthy snacks and meals
- Offices and private conference rooms for families and staff
- Private early development outdoor play areas
- A curb-to-door bus lane for saft student transfer
An artist’s rendering of the outdoor play area at KCC’s Childhood Learning Center.
“Klamath Community College is grateful to Cascade Health Alliance for recognizing that a healthy and economically strong community needs a good foundation of childcare,” said KCC President Roberto Gutierrez. “The center will provide up to 140 slots for children — ages infant to 5 — to attend preschool, freeing up their parents to work or attend college in the Klamath Basin.
“KCC could not be more pleased with CHA’s generous donation and we want to especially thank CHA Chief Executive Officer Grant Kennon for his support and foresight in helping fund this project,” Gutierrez said.
The Klamath Community College Foundation has launched a community-wide capital campaign of $1 million to go toward completing the center. If you would like to donate, click here.
