While you may find more doors open for child care in the future in the area, some families are worried about where their kids will go now. The Peninsula Pulse reported on Thursday that the Zion Early Childhood Center will close on December 22nd, giving the families of 60 students about three weeks to make alternate arrangements. The Door County Child Development Center’s new campus in Sevastopol still needs to be finished. The Northern Door Children’s Center in Sister Bay just started its fundraising campaign to expand its facilities. In both cases, the expansions will only allow their waiting lists to get shorter, not eliminate them. United Way of Door County Childcare Community Coordinator Molly Gary says the organization has been working hard to provide resources for people who need childcare and those who want to take on the issue themselves as an in-home provider.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Algoma began its own efforts to offer childcare in the community, opening the Little Sprouts Early Learning Center at its school this fall. Pastor Joel McKenney says the church understands and supports the need for childcare, but they are trying to handle what it takes to be properly licensed and staffed.

The Wisconsin Legislature discussed at least one possible way to help this week. Assembly Bill 660, introduced by Rep. Joel Kitchens and over a dozen others, would offer Wisconsin businesses up to $100,000 to help their employees afford childcare. The United Way of Door County and the Women’s Fund of Door County have a similar local program.