Department of Workforce Development

		Scott McCallum     Governor State of Wisconsin

Thursday, August 29, 2002
Contact:	Tim Roby (608) 266-8110 Chris Marschman (608) 261-6705

Madison – Gov. Scott McCallum announced today that Kids Care Center, located in River Falls, has won the Governor’s Workforce Innovation Award (WIN), which recognizes individuals and organizations that create innovative approaches and outside -the-box solutions to develop and sustain Wisconsin’s workforce.

"The care and expertise brought to the Kids Care Center by its director, Jennifer Nelson, along with the dedication of Lutheran Home, make a winning combination that is deserving of the Governor’s Workforce Innovation Award," Gov. McCallum said.

The Kids Care Center is a day care operation that is part of the Lutheran Home, a River Falls nursing home. Kids Care Center is open to employees of Lutheran Home who have children in need of day care, but is open to non-employees as well.

In addition to running the Kids Care Center, its director, Jennifer Nelson, serves on the Wisconsin Early Childhood Board and on the Project Child Care Resource and Referral Board.

To meet growing needs, for example, Lutheran Home now rents out additional space so that the center can handle more than fifty school-age children during the summer months. Employees at the nursing home now also have alternate weekend care, for employees with children who must work on the weekends.

The center also has a salary scale in place for workers to improve ability for advancement. The result has been much higher retention and better wages for employees.

In addition to investing in its employees, Kids Care Center invests in its Community. Along with the Lutheran Home, the Kids Care Center sponsors the popular Milk Mustache Contest during river Falls Days each year.

The WIN Award highlights innovative approaches and solutions to overcoming barriers to work, empowering individuals to move up the job ladder, and partnering with employers, educators and local government to build a stronger workforce.

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