The Citizen Potawatomi Nation Housing Department received the Indian Community Development Block Grant Program award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The $800,000 grant will help fund the Grand Complex Child Daycare Center.
Children eligible for daycare services must be 13 years or younger. The parent of an eligible child must be living or working within the boundaries of the CPN Tribal service area and can qualify for services from the Secretary of Oklahoma or be a member of a federally recognized Tribe. Child care services are not available for patrons of the casino.
The Grand Complex Child Development Center will give priority to children of families with low to moderate income and children with special needs. Children from Child Protective Services cases, Indian Child Welfare cases, and physically and mentally disabled individuals will also be able to attend the daycare.
“This new daycare center for the Grand is long overdue,” said CPN Housing Director Scott George. “Employees have wanted and needed a daycare center out there for quite some time now. This will help out a lot of employees and tribal members by providing a safe and close daycare center.”
Construction on the new facility is expected to begin in early 2015. Once construction has been completed, CPN will advertise its opening and share enrollment information with eligible families. The day care center will create 16 full time positions.
The Grand Complex Child Development Center will be open 12 hours a day and five days a week.
“We had Grand employees fill out a survey this summer to see if there was any interest of providing a daycare center there,” said Grant Coordinator Tesia Zientek. “The results were overwhelmingly positive, and we know this facility will help out a lot of families.”
For more information please contact Debra Wakole at dwakole@potawatomi.org.