10 Jul 2023 |
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We’re excited to announce that we’re opening our 13th location in the Fairhaven neighborhood of Renton, with programs beginning on Monday, July 10th!
Launch will be taking over the operation of Cascade Vista Childcare Center in Renton. Cascade Vista has been offering secular childcare programs for children ages 3-12 at the Living Hope Christian Fellowship church (formerly Cascade Vista Free Methodist Church) since 1966. In 2019, the church was acquired by Timberlake Church, and was later purchased by Hope Village Church. Earlier this spring, Cascade Vista Childcare Center was notified that the church would no longer be able to offer childcare, and that Cascade Vista would need to vacate their space.
Cascade Vista approached Launch and asked if we were interested in taking over their program. It’s been a longstanding goal of Launch to expand outside of Seattle and address childcare deserts in South King County. Service expansion to communities in need is also a core part of our new strategic plan. After deep discussion about mission and values alignment and an evaluation of our financial and staff capacity, we decided to move forward with partnering with Cascade Vista. We feel a strong obligation to the community to not let a high-quality program that has been serving 60 kids and families in Renton annually for more than 50 years close.
Through negotiations with Pastor Shane McCroskey at Timberlake Church, and Pastor’s Drew and Emma Davies, and Business Manager Erin Houg, at Hope Village Church, we were able to continue childcare programming through the end of the school year so that there would continue to be continuity of care for families. These community partnerships have been instrumental in supporting families during this transition, and we are deeply appreciative of Timberlake Church and Hope Village Church for how thoughtful and caring they have been during this process.
We have secured a temporary location for Cascade Vista at Word of Life Church in Renton for the next year and will be working to find the program a permanent home. All of the existing Cascade Vista teachers and staff will be continuing in their current positions, just now they will be Launch employees. We are grateful to Pastor Ronnie Parker and his congregation for opening their doors to Launch’s Cascade Vista Child Care program.
As this is our first program outside of the city of Seattle, in a new school district, and a non-Seattle Preschool Program location, we will all be learning together over the next year how Cascade Vista’s own unique culture and families fit into Launch and add to the rich diversity of our organization.
We are so thrilled Launch is able to ensure the continuity of a high quality, stable program in a zip code in which less than 20% of the childcare needs are being met. Stay tuned for more information and updates about this new Launch program in the coming months!