Nonprofit group closing Richmond daycare because of revenue shortfall

Some parents tell WKYT they don't know where their kids will go for daycare after a nonprofit group decided to close the Richmond Child Care Center.

The Richmond Childcare Center is in the middle of one of Richmond's industrial parks.

"There’s not many childcare centers on this side of town," said Nicole Taylor.

Her two-year-old son goes to the center.

She says when parents came in Friday to pick up their kids, they were shocked to receive a letter telling them the center was closing.

"Many of them are stressed, they don’t know what to do. Many of us had to take off Friday to figure out arrangements," she said.

Kentucky River Foothills released a statement on the closing.

"Due to the increased cost of operations that have escalated at a rate that can't be equaled through reasonable adjustments in tuition, KRFDC has made the difficult decision to end its role in the administration of the Richmond Child Care Center. The center, which is funded through tuition and child care subsidy has not consistently generated adequate revenue to cover its costs for some time. As a nonprofit organization, KRFDC does not have the resources to sustain the deficit. We know how important childcare is and that's the reason we wanted to give adequate notice prior to closing. We empathize with the affected parents as they seek other arrangements for the care of their children."

Taylor says there is already a shortage of childcare in the city, and now more than 100 kids will be added to that.

Even those who have been able to find other arrangements are having to make sacrifices.

"She has two children and she found separate daycares for them but they are on opposite sides of town," she said about another woman whose children were at RCCC.

Taylor says parents wish they had at least been given a chance to talk about a tuition raise.

That letter to parents says while the last day is April 27, it also says should they face a staffing shortage it could be earlier.