Kerkhoven is a rural community in Southwest Minnesota and located roughly 100 miles west of the Twin Cities. It is a close-knit community that is home to a variety of local businesses and services. The city of Kerkhoven’s motto is “A Small Town with Big Possibilities”, in which residents demonstrate the power of coming together to achieve great things. According to the 2022 census, the city of Kerkhoven reported having 805 residents.

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To keep up with the city’s projected growth rate, they understand the importance of proactively planning for and addressing the local childcare needs. Finding affordable and available child care is difficult in this region. It is becoming increasingly difficult to secure a sustainable workforce, attract and retain workers due to the shortage of available and affordable child care options.  

 

To support workforce development, retention, and economic growth, Kerkhoven is participating in the Rural Child Care Innovation Program to explore and implement local and right-sized solutions to address child care shortages.