Loving Care Early Learning Center

Loving Care Early Learning Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was originally founded in 2005 as a small in-home childcare program by Jessica Russell. Over the past two decades, it has grown into a vital community resource addressing the childcare shortage in Phelps County and surrounding communities. After expansions and relocating, the center now temporarily operates out of Holdrege Methodist Church with the capacity to serve 70 children.

We are now twenty months into an estimated $2 million capital project that began under a highly condensed timeline in response to an urgent community need. During this period, we designed a purpose-built early learning center, restructured as a 501(c)(3), purchased commercial real estate, and have secured more than 25% of our fundraising goal. Despite the pressure to maintain uninterrupted care amid the possibility of displacement and the need to secure licensure for a new facility within only a few months, the project has achieved significant milestones and continues to demonstrate strong momentum. 

We carry the financial and fiduciary responsibility to ensure that the project timeline remains aligned with our budget, safeguarding both the integrity of the plan and the resources entrusted to us. The new center will be located at 900 Burlington Street, between the new Dairy Queen and the Cobblestone Inn, and is designed to meet the diverse needs of local families and to support the continued growth of the Holdrege community.

Our mission is to provide high quality, developmentally appropriate early childhood education in a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment. We support working families, reduce barriers to employment, and strengthen both the local workforce and the regional economy. As we prepare to expand into a new purpose built facility, our goal is to increase capacity to 100 children, including infant, toddler, preschool, and school age care. Loving Care remains committed to investing in the well being of families and the long term health of the community.

We believe every child deserves the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive in an environment that fosters emotional development and a strong sense of belonging. Our community is rooted in the understanding that early childhood is the most critical period in human development—and that investing in this stage yields lifelong benefits for children, families, and society. By supporting this effort, the community is investing in workforce stability, strong families, and the long term strength of the local economy.