Neighbors' Educational Opportunities' efforts to add much-needed child care services in Porter County are getting a financial boost. NEO plans to open its Creekside Early Learning Center at its Portage facility this fall.
The organization says it will include nine-thousand square feet of space. It'll be able to accommodate 130 children, including those as young as six weeks old. Half of the enrollment spots would be set aside for financially-challenged families.
Executive Director Rebecca Reiner has called the childcare facility a "game-changer" for families, as well as businesses — since childcare is often a barrier for adults looking to continue their education or get a job.
Now, United Way Northwest Indiana says it will contribute $750,000 in statewide United Way funds toward the project. A check presentation is planned during NEO's Back to School Bash on Sunday afternoon. Reiner says that will bring the project to around 80 percent of its $2 million fundraising goal, according to a United Way press release. Other funding sources have included federal American Rescue Plan money allocated by Porter County.
