WINGS Infant Care Center Opens In Santa Maria
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - Santa Maria has a new childcare resource for infants from six weeks to two years old.
Children’s Resource & Referral Of Santa Barbara County (CRR) hosted a ribbon‑cutting ceremony Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the opening of its new WINGS Infant Center.
“We had an infant center many years ago and we closed it because the quality really wasn't what we knew it should be,” says Michelle Graham, co-administrator of Children’s Resource And Referral. “And so we had a commitment that one day we would open again, and when we did, it would be high quality and we would present it to the whole community.”
The center expands access to working families, low‑income households, and those involved in foster care.
“Children coming here will get to experience a beautiful outdoor space. We believe anything that happens in the classroom can happen outside,” says Graham.
The facility emphasizes inclusion, relationship‑based care, and whole‑child development.
“With Michelle's passion in early ed and mine and inclusion, WINGS Preschool came alive three years ago, where WINGS stands for ‘Where Inclusion, Nurture and Growth Soar,’” says Jacqui Banta, CRR’s other co-administrator. “And so not only are we a high quality early learning environment, but we emphasize inclusion. And inclusion means that every child should have access to the high quality early learning.”
Coordinators say this will enable parents of newborns to return to work much sooner than waiting for toddler age.
“We were really honored to be recognized as Santa Maria times best childcare in Santa Maria Valley,” says Graham.
“Not only that, Thanks to Council member Greg Hart for the nomination for children's research and referral of Santa Barbara County being voted nonprofit of the year, and we get to go and receive that award in Sacramento next week,” says Banta.
“When parents want to go back to work after having young children or are just looking for childcare options, we see it all the time,” says Molly Alves, vice president of operations at the Santa Maria Valley Chamber Of Commerce. “It's a workforce issue, having access to childcare. And CRR providing yet another option of that is really exciting for us.”
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