The Community Foundation of St. Joseph County granted the YMCA of Greater Michiana $250,000 for a childcare center in downtown South Bend.
The grant will help fund renovations of the downtown South Bend YMCA's first floor. The 10,497 square feet of space will have space for 80 to 100 children ages birth to 3 years old.
“This grant helps move an important project forward and brings us closer to creating a space that will support children, parents and the broader South Bend community for years to come,” said Mark Weber, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Michiana, in a press release.
The center is part of a larger initiative to make daycare no more than 10% of annual income in St. Joseph County.
“We recognize the need for affordable childcare in our community, and we’re pleased to partner with the YMCA of Greater Michiana to help more families access high-quality care in South Bend,” said Aaron Perri, vice president of community impact at the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County.
The YMCA of Greater Michiana has five locations. The YMCA of Michiana and the YMCA of Southwest Michigan merged in 2020 to form the YMCA of Greater Michiana.
