OWENSBORO, Ky. — The Owensboro Family YMCA will receive $6.6 million in federal funding to build a new child care center, a move aimed at easing a critical shortage in western Kentucky where parents face waitlists of up to two years for infant care.
What You Need To Know:
•The Owensboro Family YMCA secured $6.6 million in federal funding from Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to build a new 20,000-square-foot child care center in Daviess County
•The project will add 150 slots for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, boosting the YMCA’s total capacity past 300 amid 1.5- to two-year waitlists for infant care
•Emphasis is on affordability for working-class families, with community partnerships to keep costs low while offering high-quality programs like free tutoring
•Site selection is underway, with a possible groundbreaking by December and opening targeted in about two years; it could serve as a model for other Kentucky communities
The funding, secured by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, will support a 20,000-square-foot facility dedicated to child care. It is expected to add about 150 slots for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, pushing the YMCA’s total capacity past 300, officials said.
Tom Bontrager, president and CEO of the Owensboro Family YMCA, said the demand is overwhelming.
“Currently in Owensboro, there’s about a year and a half to two-year wait list for an infant,” Bontrager said. “We just did a grand opening, and we were filled within a week. That kind of tells you the need.”
The project builds on recent expansions at the YMCA, including new infant, toddler and preschool programs that filled up almost immediately after opening last year. Those additions brought in about 80 slots, which were snapped up without heavy marketing.
The new center, to be owned and operated by the YMCA, will focus on affordability for working-class families. Bontrager said the organization is using community partnerships to keep costs low while providing high-quality care.
“Affordable, high-quality child care is even more needed,” he said. “We’re positioned for the families who are working-class families. You know, we have a lot of great kids here, but they get an experience that you would get at any higher-cost child care center.”
Site selection is underway, with officials hoping to break ground by December and open the facility in about two years. Bontrager said the project could serve as a model for other Kentucky communities grappling with similar shortages.
The effort involved collaboration with Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson, the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce and city council members, who helped submit the earmark request more than a year ago.
Child care access has become a pressing issue across Kentucky, with many families struggling to balance work and care for young children. The YMCA, the nation’s largest provider of child care, aims to expand its role in filling that gap.
The funding is a step toward closing the gap on affordable child care, a growing challenge for families statewide.
The Owensboro Family YMCA has been expanding its programs, including after-school care for ages five to 12 and free tutoring services in partnership with Kentucky Wesleyan College. Officials said the new center will include indoor activity space tailored to young children.
No specific location has been announced, but Bontrager said plans should be revealed in the next 30 to 60 days.
By Sam Knef Spectrum News 1