Hampshire Franklin Childrens Day Care Inc

40+ years raising the future!

HFCDC has been providing quality child care and early education services in the Pioneer Valley for over 40 years!  Please make your donation to HFCDC and help us continue our mission!

Background

Our organization is an outgrowth of the Hampshire Children’s Cooperative, which was housed at Hampshire College in the early 1970s.  The Cooperative was incorporated as the Hampshire-Franklin Children’s Day Care Center in 1975, and received 501(c)(3) status in July of 1977.  Since July, 1987, the day care center has occupied its own building set on over three acres of land along Route 63 in Leverett.

Guiding Principals

Originally run as a parent collective, the center is now overseen by a parent-staff Board of Directors. Our program fulfills the critical function of providing early education and care to children of families from a diversity of backgrounds: students, professionals, teen parents, single parents, dual-parents, grandparents, etc.  Enrollment is drawn from towns within Hampshire and Franklin counties.  

We aim to provide high quality child care and early education to families irrespective of their financial means, by attempting to fill at least 40% of program enrollment with subsidized slots for those of low to moderate income.  In addition, we accept applications for any child with a disability, with the goal of accommodating the child in the most integrated way possible.

Why Is Early Ed Important?

According to a recent report issued by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the importance of quality early care and education is well documented. The report states that children who attend high-quality preschools have higher test scores, fewer behavior problems, lower rates of grade repetition, higher rates of high school graduation, and improved employment opportunities and earnings.

What Our Daycare Offers

Our daycare is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. While the size of our program is small, we fill a critical need: providing quality care and education to the children of our community.

In addition to our standard curriculum, we strive to implement innovative and inspiring enrichment programs. We have pollinator and vegetable gardens, a parent resource library, and a Preschool Arts & Culture program. Future endeavors include initiating a preschool STEM program.

Where Your Money Will Go

In addition to supporting our core programming, your contribution will assist with:

• maintaining and enhancing our educational programing
• expanding our Parent Resource Lending Library
• developing and implementing a preschool STEM program
• investigating the potential for daycare to participate in a Farm to School food program
• growing a maintenance fund to use for building repairs/upgrades

Your support means so much to us - Thank You !