New Oshkosh Center Addresses Demand for Second-Shift Child Care

A New Approach to Child Care in Oshkosh

For many families, finding child care isn’t just about securing a spot—it’s about finding care that fits their work schedules. This is the challenge that leaders at the Oshkosh Child Development Center are aiming to solve as they prepare to open inside The Corridor, a $19 million affordable housing development in downtown Oshkosh.

The center plans to operate from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., making it the only child care center in Oshkosh offering second-shift care. Executive Director Liz Storms emphasized that this extended schedule is designed to support parents working outside traditional hours.

“The center is going to be the only childcare center in Oshkosh that is running second shift,” Storms said. “We are open 5:30 in the morning until 11:30 at night.”

Storms explained that the center’s extended hours were created to meet the needs of families whose work schedules don’t align with most child care providers. She added that the center aims to provide quality care that works around parents’ schedules.

The nonprofit child development center is located inside The Corridor, a development built by Commonwealth Development Corporation that includes 55 affordable apartments and townhomes. Families living at The Corridor will receive first priority for enrollment, while remaining openings will be available to families throughout the community.

Board President Su van Houwelingen said the combination of affordable housing and child care was intentional. She highlighted how difficult it has been for families to find both, especially those on limited incomes.

“Putting a child care center into affordable housing to me is amazing,” van Houwelingen said. “Having worked in public housing, knowing how hard it was for the families financially, and finding housing, and finding even public housing. It’s hard. There’s waiting lists. But finding childcare and jobs, it all goes hand in hand.”

Van Houwelingen noted that the nonprofit’s 501(c)(3) organization dates back to 2019. An earlier effort to create the center did not move forward, but the project came together after Commonwealth approached her about incorporating the nonprofit into The Corridor development.

Services and Support

The center expects to be licensed for 43 children. Leaders said classrooms are organized by age, with programming emphasizing early learning and social-emotional development. Children will also receive three meals and two snacks each day.

Storms said staff are preparing classroom materials and training resources before opening so teachers have consistent expectations and resources in every classroom.

Van Houwelingen explained that operating as a nonprofit allows the organization to focus on supporting families and investing in its workforce. Commonwealth is leasing the child care space to the nonprofit for $1 per year, which she said reduces operating costs and allows more resources to be directed toward the center’s mission.

“I hope to pay the teachers better wages,” van Houwelingen said. “I mean, this is one of the lowest-paid careers. And these men and women in the field are amazing.”

Van Houwelingen hopes the nonprofit can continue building partnerships throughout the community and eventually connect families with additional resources when they need help.

“I want to be able to connect families, if they need it, to outside organizations that can help them,” she said. “Those little things that people don’t think about… there’s always a worry when you’re on the lower-income side.”

Community Support and Future Plans

The center has also received support from the City of Oshkosh and community partners, including the Basic Needs Giving Partnership, the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, ThedaCare and the Tamblin Clark Smith Foundation.

Storms said community response has been strong even before opening. “Since the ribbon cutting, it has been a tremendous amount of outreach and support,” she said. “Phone calls daily, emails daily.”

The Oshkosh Child Development Center is tentatively scheduled to open Sept. 1, pending state licensing. The organization is hiring assistant directors, teachers, assistant teachers, cooks and support staff while continuing to schedule tours for interested families.

Families interested in scheduling a tour or enrolling a child, as well as people interested in employment opportunities, can visit OshkoshChildDevelopment.org or call the center at 920-267-8101.