A new child care facility will bring homeless, low-income and single-parent families one step closer to stability and a better life, organizers say.

On Wednesday, the Cornerstone Rescue Mission will host an open house at Dear Ones child care to introduce the organization's newest staff members, child advocates and teachers to neighbors and community members.

Vicki Linn, Cornerstone Rescue Mission program director, said the program will take away one obstacle that families at the mission, shelters or transitional housing face in trying to get the education they dreamed of or that first job that may get them to a stable life.

"Our intention is to offer child care to our families that is not readily available in the community," she said.

The free program, for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years, is not open to the public. It is for families who live at one of the shelters or transitional housing complexes in Rapid City.

"It's by referral through our community partners," Linn said.

Cornerstone's child care program at Dear Ones will not compete with other child care programs. It will offer services to families at Cornerstone's Children's and Women's Home, the families in its transitional housing, and those referred by WAVI, Ohitika and Behavior Management Systems.

Over the years, Linn has watched families struggled to meet obligations to their programs because child care in the evenings and on weekends was limited.

"At one point, we had 12 parents and 19 children struggle in their pursuit of education or stable employment due to child care barriers. Evening care was extremely limited. Two parents attending Oglala Lakota College were failing their evening classes because they couldn't keep regular child care hours," she said.

In this economy, many low-income or poverty-stricken households may receive job offers but have no one to care for their children. Desperate to hold a job, they may turn to the most unstable and inconsistent child caretakers, which might include family and friends, Linn said.

"They're trying to piece together a child-care plan," she said.

Single parents who have two or three children younger than age 3 face more complications. To find a child care program that would accept all three children would be difficult. One child care center may be able to take the older child but not the toddler and infant, Linn said.

"Again, (parents are) doing a patchwork of care so they can go to work," she said.

The building and program where Dear Ones now operates came to Linn's attention after its owner closed the day care in May 2008 because of health issues. Under lease with an option to buy, the property includes classrooms and an expansive playground.

Sarah Lewis, Day Care provider, said at Dear Ones, the children who arrive at the door can step out of homelessness, missed meals and a chaotic life to that of what all children should experience.

"The changes in the children who come here has been the greatest joy to me," she said. "Here, they're not homeless. They're children."

Education-based, the children's care program follows a curriculum that includes developmentally accepted learning levels of activities and concepts, she said.

"They're safe here. Education is going to the main piece of that," Lewis said.

The basic skills taught include colors, shapes, calendar concepts as well as behaviors of sharing, taking turns and empathy. These are skills the children will use for the rest of their lives, Lewis said.

Parents will be able to see and emulate what Dear One's caregivers are modeling and offer that same stability, security and consistency in the lives of their children, she said.

"Parents will pick up on that and do it at home. It gives parents and children a good foundation," she said.

Contact Jomay Steen at jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com or 394-8418.

If you go

What: Dear Ones child care open house

When: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 27

Where: 2901 Wisconsin Ave.

Other: Open house will include tours of the facility, classrooms and play areas and opportunities to talk to staff, teachers and child advocates.