Stephanie Loomis of Midland
Imagine a few weeks into the lockdown of spring 2020, you suddenly gain custody of two children and are now a single parent. Calling it ‘overwhelming’ barely captures the stress of the situation for new foster parent Stephanie Loomis, a customer service representative with Dow.
“I was handed a four-month-old and a two-year-old overnight and I had no idea what to do for daycare,” Loomis said.
That’s when Loomis found Early Care and Education (ECE) at the Greater Midland Community Center. Loomis is one of just dozens of families who received care in 2020. Even at the height of the pandemic, Greater Midland’s Early Care & Education remained open for essential workers and healthcare families called to the frontlines.
“They just made it super easy and they made me feel really comfortable. It’s like they knew I was walking in blind, so they really simplified it for me and really walked me through every step of what I needed to do. Here’s the paperwork. Here’s how the day goes. Here’s what you do when you come in, when you leave,” Loomis said.
Over time, Loomis has also personally bonded with the staff while she continues to work through this major life change.
Our staff loves spending time with all the children we help grow each day!
“There were days when I would just come in and break down in front of them and that’s kind of embarrassing to admit, but I mean, who else do I talk to? I’m super thankful for the community aspect. They all know me. They all know them. They all know our situation. They’re sensitive to it and they let me open up as much as I want or not say anything at all.
They never bring it up in front of the kids. They’re just rock stars.” Loomis said. “It’s not just a daycare where you come and drop them off and pick them up, and that’s your day. It’s their home away from home.”
Learn more about the Early Care & Education programs…CLICK HERE
