Childcare is essential for many families, but it is becoming harder to find in the Duluth area. The YMCA at Essentia Wellness Center is one of many childcare providers at max capacity.

“I don’t think it comes as a surprise to anybody that we are in an extreme childcare shortage situation in the Duluth area,” said Duluth Area Family YMCA District Vice President Emily Marshall. “There’s over a thousand spots that are needed in order to accommodate all of the families that are waiting for childcare currently, and we alone have 430 children on our waiting list here.”

There are only so many spots allowed at each provider, and now there are fewer providers in the area.

“We’ve had been flooded with calls this week even of hearing about four programs that have announced they are closing,” said Marshall. “It’s just heartbreaking when families call and they are looking for options, looking for things quickly. They ask, ‘when’s the next opening?,” and we have to tell them that it’s in September of 2025 and there’s hundreds of people in line in front of them. It’s just devastating.”

Heidi Jo Lien owns her own daycare in Proctor and says finding a provider within a family’s income bracket adds to the challenge.

“There are families that have to choose between paying for their mortgage and their rent or being able to afford childcare,” said Lien. “The struggle with that is these last four years during the pandemic and then the trickle down effect after the pandemic with our inflation and economics, it’s been a challenge for parents feeling like they need to push their child further into school or kindergarten because then they don’t have to absorb that daycare bill. But is your child socially and emotionally prepared? They’re not.”

With such a need for childcare in the area, Essentia Health is partnering with Duluth Area YMCA to create a childcare facility in Hillside.

“It’ll be on the corner of Fifth Avenue East and Fifth Street right on our campus,” said Essentia Health Community Relations Director Tonya Loken. “The reason we’re excited is because One Roof Community Housing approached us to collaborate on a project that is 72 units of senior housing that will be upstairs, and the ground level of this facility will have a childcare facility.”

The project will break ground next spring and hopefully be open in late 2026, adding over 100 slots for families in need of childcare on land provided by Essentia and the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery.

The YMCA has committed more than $1 million and Essentia more than $2.6 million to what will become the the Hillside Early Childhood Learning Center. Due to increasing construction costs, an additional $1.2 million is needed. If you are interested in donating, reach out to the Duluth Area YMCA.