Kachemak Kids started as a Work Group through the Child Advocacy Coalition of Homer (CACH) in March 2006. Several CACH members identified the need for increased quality child care opportunities in the Homer area to assist parents in returning to work and completing their education.  The Work Group started with six dedicated individuals from a variety of backgrounds: parents, educators, child care providers and early childhood education staff.

In April 2006, the group created a Child Care Survey to determine the needs for quality child care in the Homer area. The results supported the groups efforts to move forward with their idea to create a cooperative-style child care center in Homer. (See link to survey results below.)

By the summer of 2006, the first Board of Directors was established and committees were formed. After deciding on a name, the board completed their incorporation and licensing paperwork and applied for non-profit status. Grant writing and fund raising began in earnest to provide the start-up funds needed to get the program up and running. A generous $5,000 donation from the Rural Childcare Initiative program in Juneau helped pay for some of these start-up costs and educational toys and equipment. Many other donations of furniture and equipment were received from area businesses and community members.

By the summer of 2007, a location was finally found next to the local Head Start program and work began on modifying it to meet child care regulation and licensing requirements for a child care center facility. Again, many wonderful businesses and community members donated their time, tools, materials, and expertise to help transform our location into a safe and inviting environment for children.

Enrollment applications were then made available to the public and a wait list quickly formed.  Staff were then hired just in time to move all the toys and equipment into our new home. Kachemak Kids opened its doors in late August 2007.

KKELC Survey Results April 2006

Future Plans

Mission Statement

To provide a safe, nurturing, cooperative-style preschool and child care program that strengthens families through the education of parents and staff.

Vision Statement

A child centered educational program that effectively integrates diverse working families, and community members into it’s program while advocating for and attracting government support.

• Community destination promoting and implementing model child centered learning in collaboration with multiple org’s for sustainable collaborations and relationships.
• Beautiful educational campus
• Education on many levels
• Diversity
• Career level opportunity – internal and external

Core Values

Child centered; community integration; learning through play; diversity; beauty; respect; meeting the needs of working families; compelling focal point of effort  - context for progress; sustainable incremental growth

We would like to expand our facility, age levels, and hours of operation in a time frame that will ensure continued quality child care and professionalism.

Reaching that Vision:

In February 2008, the Board held their annual retreat and created the KKELC Strategic Plan.  Each year, at the Board's Annual retreat in Feb/March, a new Action Plan for the year is created. For more information, click on the links below.

Strategic Plan

Action Plan 2009

To review progress on Action Plan items, request a copy of recent Board Meeting Minutes from the Board Secretary.