MADISON, Wis. — One of Madison’s oldest independent child care centers now has a brand new building.
After 50 years at its previous location, Red Caboose Child Care Center celebrated a grand reopening at its new facility on Winnebago Street Saturday. Blake Roberts Crall was one of many parents, children and members of the public who got their first look at the new center.
“It’s really part of the neighborhood here,” she said. “It’s really special.”
Roberts Crall was first drawn to Red Caboose after hearing of its longstanding reputation in town. The child care center was first established in 1972 as a nonprofit day care committed to serving children of all backgrounds.
“It quickly became clear that this was a good spot for us because Red Caboose is really committed to making this an inclusive space,” Roberts Crall said.
With one child now a graduate of Red Caboose, and another still a student, she said there’s nowhere she’d rather send her kids.
“It feels really good to be part of a community where my kids can come here and I know that are loved for whoever they are and they’re getting the best care that they can,” she said.
It’s that principle of creating a safe space for all Madison children that board president Aaron Stephenson said has kept Red Caboose going for the last five decades.
“I think it’s a testament to the support we’ve had in our community,” he said. “Many people, hundreds of people, have stepped up and donated their time and money to make this happen.”
The new facility also allows Red Caboose to expand their student body from 50 students to 150. Stephenson said this will help them to reach more lower income families who have struggled with child care. It’s something they’ve done since the beginning, offering tuition on a sliding scale.
“That’s the demographic we’ve been trying to reach our entire existence,” Stephenson said. As gentrification has gone through the central city, moving east a bit more has allowed them to be closer to those families.”
At a time when access to child care is a growing crisis, Roberts Crall said this new beginning for Red Caboose is a promising step, but more still needs to be done.
“I think we really need to call on our leaders from the state and federal government to do more to invest in childcare systems because otherwise the whole system falls apart,” she said.
But as Red Caboose advances into the future in their new space, Roberts Crall said she knows she’ll stay connected, even after her kids graduate.
“Hopefully, my kids can be part of that process too, can be contributing in different ways as they continue to grow,” she said.