You did not have to look very hard to see the smiles on the face of two of Door County’s child care operators. 

Governor Tony Evers and Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek announced on Thursday that the United Way of Door County was getting a $3.5 million grant to help make changes to the Northern Door Children’s Center in Sister Bay and the Door County Child Development Center in Sturgeon Bay to address the needs of the community. For Northern Door Children’s Center, it means a redesign of its building as it prepares to partner with Gibraltar Area Schools to introduce a 4K pilot program in northern Door County. It also offers a training and mentorship program and affordable housing options so Northern Door Children’s Center can attract and retain new instructors. Executive Director Cindy Trinkner-Peot and Northern Door Children Center Board President Jen Thompson are excited about what this grant will mean for all aspects of childcare.

Picture courtesy of the United Way of Door County

A lot of work has already been done by the United Way of Door County, but Trinkner-Peot says now they will get to work on a timeline to implement all of the different aspects the grant will cover.