YMCA Announces New Child Care, Preschool Center in Millersburg

The YMCA of Wayne County announced plans to open a state licensed child care and preschool center at NewPointe Church's Millersburg campus, with operations slated to begin in March 2026. The center will serve children ages six weeks to six years and is intended to increase local child care capacity ahead of the spring opening.

Officials said the program will use The Creative Curriculum, a play based, child centered approach to early learning. The new site will participate in assistance programs administered by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, a move designed to broaden affordability and access for families relying on state child care subsidies.

Allie DeHass will serve as center director. The YMCA will recruit lead and assistant teachers to staff classrooms, and encouraged interested applicants to contact the YMCA of Wayne County for hiring details. Registration for families is scheduled to open in early January 2026, with enrollment and placement information to be provided through YMCA channels.

The YMCA credited support from United Way Wayne and Holmes Counties and the Holmes County Education and Community Foundation for helping make the expansion possible. That institutional support underscores a local partnership approach to addressing child care shortages that affect family budgets, workforce participation and early education outcomes.

For Holmes County residents, the new center could ease immediate pressures on parents seeking reliable care and create employment opportunities in early childhood education. Participation in state subsidy programs means the center will intersect with existing public assistance systems, which may alter local demand patterns and increase oversight responsibilities for state and county agencies.

The announcement highlights policy questions that remain relevant to local officials and voters, including how to sustain affordable child care, recruit and retain qualified teachers, and measure program quality over time. With registration opening in January and classes starting in March, county residents will soon see how this public private partnership affects access to early learning and the broader local economy.