The Day Nursery of Abilene announced that September 14th will be the final day parents can drop off their children at
the Ash Street Center.
After wiping countless noses and playing thousands of games of peek-a-boo with Abilene's children for almost forty years, the doors of the Ash Street Day Nursery of Abilene are closing for good. Initial reactions may indicate that there simply isn't a need in the community, but that isn't the case.
"The Day Nursery does have a waiting list for each of its facilities, and we do have unborn babies on there as well. In fact we have several", says CEO, Cynthia Pearson.
KTAB News even reported recently that there are more children needing day care than there are spots available. So why choose to minimize the supply when the demand is so high?
"We cannot continue to operate a center at such financial loss every month. Most of the families that we are serving in this particular facility are low income and we receive a reimbursement rate for those children, which does not adequately cover the cost", Pearson tells us.
Much like the nursery, many other North Abilene businesses, near Treadaway Boulevard have also closed up shop. Leddy's Legacy is a local business that's been around for over 30 years, and has seen the town and economy evolve.
"That's been several years ago, it didn't just recently happen. It's cause of the bigger business that come in and put the little guys out of business", says Glenn Meek of Leddy's Legacy.
Pearson says that the Ash Street Center hasn't met financial expectations for quite some time. Partnered with United Way, the nonprofit tells us that now, they plan to shift their focus on maximizing their other existing, and financially stable day care centers.
Pearson also said that it shouldn't be a problem placing the 50 enrolled children and 15 employees in their other three locations around Abilene.
Their Cedar Street Center is located about a mile from their Ash location, for those near the area.
After wiping countless noses and playing thousands of games of peek-a-boo with Abilene's children for almost forty years, the doors of the Ash Street Day Nursery of Abilene are closing for good. Initial reactions may indicate that there simply isn't a need in the community, but that isn't the case.
"The Day Nursery does have a waiting list for each of its facilities, and we do have unborn babies on there as well. In fact we have several", says CEO, Cynthia Pearson.
KTAB News even reported recently that there are more children needing day care than there are spots available. So why choose to minimize the supply when the demand is so high?
"We cannot continue to operate a center at such financial loss every month. Most of the families that we are serving in this particular facility are low income and we receive a reimbursement rate for those children, which does not adequately cover the cost", Pearson tells us.
Much like the nursery, many other North Abilene businesses, near Treadaway Boulevard have also closed up shop. Leddy's Legacy is a local business that's been around for over 30 years, and has seen the town and economy evolve.
"That's been several years ago, it didn't just recently happen. It's cause of the bigger business that come in and put the little guys out of business", says Glenn Meek of Leddy's Legacy.
Pearson says that the Ash Street Center hasn't met financial expectations for quite some time. Partnered with United Way, the nonprofit tells us that now, they plan to shift their focus on maximizing their other existing, and financially stable day care centers.
Pearson also said that it shouldn't be a problem placing the 50 enrolled children and 15 employees in their other three locations around Abilene.
Their Cedar Street Center is located about a mile from their Ash location, for those near the area.
