2010 Archives
Discovery Kids Childcare Opens 2nd Center With Help from CREDC
HARRISBURG, PA (May 4, 2010) - The Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC (HRC/CREDC) announced today that it partnered with Mid Penn Bank to provide financing to Discovery Kids Childcare. The financing package enabled the company to buy and make improvements to a building located at 277 Lauffer Road, Londonderry Township, Middletown, Dauphin County. The building provides the company with a 2nd childcare center location to serve the many families on their waiting list and expand their service area. The expansion is expected to create 8 full-time jobs over the course of 3 years.
Erin Popernack and Amy Schreffler opened their first Discovery Kids Childcare center on Oberlin Road in Lower Swatara Township in July 2007 with only a handful of children to serve. But in only six months, the center had 50 children enrolled and found they were already short on space. Starting in 2008, the center found the need to expand the space as the enrollments continued to grow. They grew one classroom at a time accommodating 15-20 more children each time. Within 8 months, the center took occupancy of all 8500 square feet available at the current location and still maintained an extensive waiting list for additional enrollments.
Discovery Kids is a DPW licensed and Keystone STARS accredited childcare facility. They serve families with children between 6 weeks and 6th grade. In addition to full time childcare, Discovery Kids also provides before and after school care and summertime care.
Dauphin County Commissioner George P. Hartwick, III, who suggested Discovery Kids Childcare contact HRC/CREDC, stated, "CREDC's approach to helping small businesses, especially in this economy, has created more jobs and, in this case, has also helped to meet the need for quality day care in our region. In this economy, we need committed partners who step up for working families."
HRC/CREDC provided a Small Business First (SBF) loan in the amount of $148,500 in conjunction with Mid Penn Bank financing and equity contributions. Total project costs were approximately $330,000. The project will help create 8 full-time jobs within three years. The SBF loan program is designed to stimulate the expansion and assist in the retention of small business for the purpose of creating new jobs and retaining existing jobs in Pennsylvania. This important program is administered by the Commonwealth's Department of Community and Economic Development and is funded with the ongoing support of the Administration and the General Assembly.
The Capital Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC), is the economic development arm of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber, and is the leading organization for promoting and performing economic development activities in Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties. The group offers a variety of programs and resources to help attract, retain and expand business in the region.
The Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC serves as a catalyst for promoting growth and quality of life in Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry Counties by providing a unique blend of business, community and economic development and advocacy services under one roof to boost our economic vitality and livability as a region. HRC/CREDC has been accredited with four stars from the United States Chamber of Commerce.
