ACPC celebrates 50 years of child care in Ames

Feb. 08--Ames Community Preschool Center (ACPC) will celebrate its 50th year of serving children in the local community this Saturday.

ACPC was established in 1968 as the first nonprofit child care center in Ames, according to ACPC Executive Director Elizabeth Miner. The center began with 35 children between the ages of three to five and began using the space at First Christian Church.

"Now we have eight different sites with roughly over 400 children a year that we serve," Miner said.

The organization purchased the former Wilson-Beardshear building, at 930 Carroll Ave., in 2013. Now it is the main center with separate locations around Ames.

The Carroll Avenue site holds seven classrooms, a gym, a kitchen that has basic cooking materials, three different playgrounds, patios and a green space.

Reaching 50 years and the growth that has occurred over that time is a large accomplishment for ACPC.

"It's just a big occasion for us," Miner said. "It's a struggle to operate child care in the first place."

Miner said community partners have been a key part of ACPC's success. Those partners include local businesses, the Ames Community School District and United Way of Story County.

United Way President and CEO Jean Kresse said the organization works with ACPC for a variety of services for the community. That includes helping families secure and maintain employment by offering affordable, quality childcare to those with lower incomes.

"UWSC and ASSET funders provide financial support to ACPC that allows them to offer a sliding fee scale (for child care)," Kresse said.

ACPC is also a partner with United Way's campaign for Grade Level Reading, which helps ensure children are ready for school before they begin preschool and kindergarten.

With ACPC's community support and outstanding achievements, Miner said there are still struggles the organization faces with the current status of the workforce in Ames.

"We are really looking to grow," she said. "(But) we are having a challenging time hiring for school age sites."

Miner said although ACPC is thriving, it is looking for more help with those separate sites even though they have individuals who are a tremendous help in those areas.

"We are hoping to reach out to early retirees," she said. "We have a solid force of student staff for the exciting busy work, but we are looking for a mature asset to that program as well."

Creating those connections helps to build those relationships, Miner said. It's important for ACPC to nurture those sites because of what kids those ages mean to Iowa.

"Those kids are really the future of Ames," she said.

The celebration will be commemorated at the ACPC main center from 4 to 7 p.m. with food, entertainment and silent auction items.

"There will be different activities free for families like art, science, an insect zoo, photo booth and carnival games," Miner said.

The event will also be part of a fundraiser to help the organization raise $50,000 to continue serving the children, students and families of Ames for another 50 years.

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