New day care center means more room for more children

Posted by Arlyssa Becenti | May 5, 2016 | News |

Navajo Times | Adron Gardner
A bright coat of yellow paint shines from the new Little Folks Day Care Center building in Navajo Wednesday. Designed by Salt Lake City-based Eaton Architecture the building was made to match the landscape. “We wanted the design to compliment the area,” said Navajo Housing Authority Grants Manager Ramsey Singer.

NAVAJO, N.M.

With persistence, patience and prayer, Marsha Smith was finally able to see her dream become a reality on Monday when the brand new and modern Little Folks Day Care facility was unveiled.

Navajo Times | Adron Gardner
A new basketball court awaits players at the Little Folks Day Care Center in Navajo Wednesday.

Since 1998, Smith, executive director for Little Folks Day Care, said she has been trying to get a new day care building up off the ground because the previous centers were not large enough to handle all of the students who applied.

She said she has been working on this since 1994, when the center began having an annual waiting list and the various small, aged facilities they had been utilizing throughout its history weren’t cutting it.

“We needed to expand,” said Smith. “We had a lot of children on our waiting list and we didn’t have enough room to serve them. There was also a lot of parents in need of child service so they can work.”

After reaching out to Navajo Housing Authority, Smith was able to get funds as well as matching dollars to pay for the $4.9 million day care.

She emphasized just how important Ramsey Singer, development coordinator for NHA, had been on getting the day care built. Navajo Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation gave an extra $400,000 to the building for a weight room and gym.

“This was a lot of hard work,” said Singer. “The staff here now have a wonderful building to work in for these little kids and that’s what it’s all about. This building should last 100 years, easily.”