Martinsville and much of Henry County are considered a childcare desert, with demand for high-quality, affordable childcare far outpacing supply. The YMCA is already one of the region’s largest childcare providers, but its current Early Learning Center is housed in a separate church building in Collinsville — a location that isn’t centrally sited, wasn’t designed for early childhood education, and requires additional rent, utilities, staffing, and transportation. The new ELC directly addresses this gap: it will double childcare capacity to more than 66 slots and increase the share of subsidized, low-to-moderate-income households served.

The Early Learning Center will occupy approximately 7,614–7,620 gross square feet on the first floor of the new Lester Family YMCA. The space is designed to accommodate four classrooms serving 50 to 70 preschool-age children, along with a separate room dedicated to up to 8 infants and 10 toddlers. While the ELC is connected to the main YMCA lobby for convenient access to other program areas, it maintains its own separate entrance, lobby, and secure check-in process for students and families, ensuring a controlled and dedicated environment for early childhood education. The center will operate full-time, Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, functioning as a year-round preschool that aligns with the schedules of working families. To support daily operations, the facility includes an onsite kitchen and warming area with dedicated food storage so that lunches can be served on-site, along with a dedicated outdoor playground exclusively for ELC use. Throughout the ELC, durable and easily cleaned finishes will be used to withstand the demands of early childhood use while maintaining a safe, welcoming environment.