New day cares and community centers in Pierce County

Family-centered initiatives in Pierce County highlight efforts to address child care scarcity, enhance family well-being, and improve access to community resources. Programs like Food Backpacks 4 Kids on the Key Peninsula are stepping in to provide critical services, including free diapers and other basic supplies. Meanwhile, a new $20.9 million child care facility planned in Tacoma aims to fill the gap in early childhood education and support for underserved families.

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

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NO. 1: PIERCE COUNTY PRESCHOOL SAYS IT’S WEEKS AWAY FROM OPENING INFANT ROOM IN CHILD CARE DESERT

“Kids aren’t having a childhood,” the preschool operations manager said. | Published March 26, 2025 | Read Full Story by Julia Park

Josiah Milligan (from left), Dae’Shawn Johnson, and Kendall Milligan sing and dance during the Music and Movement morning activities at the Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center’s Community Hall in the Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington, on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. The center is on a multi-million dollar capital campaign to expand their location and services. By Tony Overman

NO. 2: IN A CITY IN DESPERATE NEED OF CHILD CARE, $20.9M CENTER SET TO BREAK GROUND IN TACOMA

The center will expand to have 100 more slots for early learners. | Published January 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Becca Most

Food Backpacks 4 Kids leases Creviston Valley Farm in Longbranch to grow food and host farming and agricultural learning opportunities for families. By Michelle Johnson

NO. 3: FREE DIAPERS, INSURANCE, TEACHING ABOUT FARMING. THIS PIERCE COUNTY CENTER HELPS FAMILIES

Food Backpacks 4 Kids will offer food, diapers and parenting classes to families in need, replacing the center that closed. | Published November 11, 2024 | Read Full Story by Julia Park

Transitional kindergarten students from Voyager Elementary (from left) Chloe Johnson, Ezra Croft and Joey Tian take a close-up look at a mushroom as they take a nature walk through Kopachuck State Park in Gig Harbor, Washington, on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. By Tony Overman

NO. 4: POPULAR PRE-K CLASS WITH A WAITLIST GETS PIERCE CO. KIDS OUTSIDE. ITS FUNDING IS AT RISK

A spike in enrollment could force state-funded transitional kindergarten programs to make cuts or divert funding from other programs. | Published January 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Julia Park

Sabrina Josephson (center) leads training for new crisis counselors (from left) Hayden Dover, Tia Rottach and George Matthews in the Family Promise of Pierce County offices at the new Parkland Community Center in Parkland, Washington, on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 By Tony Overman

NO. 5: ‘LIFT EVERYBODY UP.’ HIGH HOPES ABOUND AS NEW COMMUNITY CENTER OPENS IN PIERCE COUNTY

Since a 116-year-old Parkland School was saved from demolition last year, it’s become the home base for a number of new tenants. | Published January 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Becca Most

Alyssa Johnstone, 30, plans to bring a early learning center to the abandoned Key Peninsula Fire building in Key Center. By Aspen Shumpert

NO. 6: KEY PENINSULA FIRE DEPARTMENT PLANS TO SELL ONE OF ITS CONTENTIOUS KEY CENTER PROPERTIES

The parcel is one of three the department purchased with a $2.1 million bond in 2021. | Published January 30, 2025 | Read Full Story by Julia Park

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.