Future childcare facility among latest Black Hawk County Gaming Association grant recipients


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WATERLOO – The Black Hawk County Gaming Association announced Wednesday that nearly 60% of its latest round of grant funding will go toward a new child care facility for workers at UnityPoint Health and other businesses.

The nonprofit, Cedar Valley Kids, will receive $300,000 as part of the $568,814 in grants awarded to eight local projects. According to Mary Janssen, one of the organization’s founders, the money will help to “close the gap” in construction costs for the new facility expected to be built in the North Crossing area near U.S. Highway 63 and Logan Avenue.

Stakeholders started talking in early 2018 about what could be done to recruit and retain employees in the Cedar Valley, and a 9,146 square-foot facility, now costing upward of $2.5 million, was born, with hopes of more in the future.

A man took a canoe for a ride through floodwater in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood on Dec. 27.


The partners — UnityPoint Health, Western Home Communities, The VGM Group, University of Northern Iowa, Child Care Resources & Referral and Levi Architecture — are working to open a temporary child care location by the end of January in the building housing the Allen College Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame.

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The initial space will have a 58-child capacity for UnityPoint workers with kids ranging from 6 months old to 11 years old. The new facility will double that number to 116, of which 60 will be allotted to UnityPoint employees and any other interested workers and their families.

The hope is to seek bids for construction in the spring, with completion expected in 2024.

Other beneficiaries of the latest grant funding include:

  • Friends of the Waterloo Public Library — $96,000 for youth and teen updates.
  • 24/7 BLAC — $54,000 for Project HOME,
  • House of Hope — $36,000 for Pillar Porch Rebuild.
  • City of Evansdale — $34,000 for Willow Run Dog Park.
  • Salvation Army — $23,814 for staff expansion.
  • Jesse Cosby Center — $20,000 for a rebuild project.
  • Impactt Foundation — $5,000 for the Young Gentleman’s Beautillion.

The Black Hawk County Gaming Association’s board of directors accepts applications and rates and prioritizes local projects based on public impact and other guidelines. All awarded projects have one thing in common — “they will move Black Hawk County forward and support future growth,” according to a press release.

Revenues come from fees received from the Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo. Since its inception in 2007, the association says, it has gifted more than $70 million to 657 different projects in seven counties and 51 cities in Northeast Iowa.

“We realize the effort and time it takes to cultivate meaningful projects in our community. It’s never an easy decision, but we’re proud to partner with these organizations as they work to create opportunities for Black Hawk County residents,” added Board President Eric Johnson in a statement.

The next Black Hawk County grant cycle opens Jan. 3. Visit bhcga.org for details on funding guidelines or contact staff at (319) 433-1153 to address any additional questions.

A man took a canoe for a ride through floodwater in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood on Dec. 27.

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