Lil’ Sprouts receives state grant to expand

Lil’ Sprouts Child Care Center in Blaine received nearly $300,000 in state grant money that the owner expects will double the center’s enrollment.

Statewide, the $43 million grant was intended for facilities with Early Childhood Education and Assistance and Working Connections Child Care subsidies to address significant need for more early learning spaces. The Washington State Department of Commerce and the Department of Children, Youth and Families issued the grants for acquisition, renovation, planning and new construction of 69 early learning facilities across the state, according to a state commerce department press release.

Lil’ Sprouts owner Jason Polverari said the child care center has about 30 kids enrolled but only serves 23 kids each day.

“We’re looking to double our capacity through the grant money by building a new building to create more space,” he said.

Polverari said the biggest challenge the center faces is lack of space with the current building. “We have a waitlist of 12 families we don’t have space for,” he said. “The most recent family to be put on that list is waiting for anything that opens up.”

The cost of daycare has also risen, which puts an additional financial stress on families, Polverari said. “We want to serve more people in the community and the expansion will help us better fulfill those needs.”

He said they plan to create a modern space that will be an accessible child care learning environment. They also hope to expand their hours, increase staff and add another meal time.

The number of currently available child care slots for children under 5 in the county will need to triple by 2025 in order to meet Whatcom County’s anticipated child care needs, according to the 2021 Permanent Solutions to Child Care Affordability in Whatcom County report. This would mean creating 5,768 new spots.

The county’s child and family wellbeing task force provides direction on where funds should be distributed to create the greatest impact on affordable and accessible childcare, Whatcom County Council and health board member Carol Frazey wrote in an email to The Northern Light.

Frazey said $3.6 million is proposed in the county’s American Rescue Plan money, a federal Covid-19 stimulus, to fund childcare services in the county and city of Bellingham. The county is awaiting funding approval.

“As a community, we need to look for long-term solutions for the issues facing individuals every day,” she said. “We need to start with taking care of our children.”

Giving families support systems will lower incarceration rates, decrease homelessness and reduce mental health risk factors, Frazey said.

“Providing high-quality, affordable childcare is the basis for that support,” she said. “We need to continue providing for emergency needs while focusing on and funding upstream solutions.”

Amber Vanderheyden put her 3-year-old daughter on several childcare waitlists last November when she moved to Bellingham. She’s projected to be given a spot this month.

“I enrolled my daughter in Lil’ Sprouts when she was 1 year old and have always had a pleasant experience with the teachers and staff,” she said. “When I moved to Bellingham, I knew I needed to enroll my daughter in a daycare closer but there has been no availability for the longest time.”

Vanderheyden said she’s been forced to commute from Bellingham to Blaine as Lil’ Sprouts is the only child care center with availability for her daughter.

“As a single mother, the increase in commuting time and gas expenses has been stressful, but my daughter is always excited to go to Lil’ Sprouts and tell me about her day afterward,” she said. “I’ve been happy to have her enrolled in such a great place while we wait for availability in Bellingham.”

Polverari said his main goal with the expansion is to design an environment for children to grow in.

“We’ve received so much support from community members and families,” he said. “We look forward to continuing to serve them all.”