The Learning Center of Key West

The Learning Center of Key West to Close After 20 Years of Service to the Community

KEY WEST, FL — After two decades of dedicated service to families across the island, The Learning Center of Key West, Inc., a nonprofit early childhood education provider, will officially close its doors on October 2, 2025.

The decision to close the Center comes amid a series of long-term challenges that have made continued operation unsustainable, including the lingering impacts of post-COVID societal shifts. As more parents opt to stay home with their children due to rising childcare costs and re-evaluated work-life priorities, the demand for full-time daycare has steadily declined. Coupled with steadily increasing operational expenses, a critical shortage of qualified childcare professionals, and the impending retirement of the Center’s founder and CEO, Pam Lopez, the Board of Directors has determined that closing is the most responsible course of action.

Pam Lopez founded The Learning Center in 2005, following the devastation of Hurricane Wilma, which left much of Key West’s daycare infrastructure in ruins. In the wake of the storm, with families eager to return to work and few childcare options available, Lopez mobilized local support and resources to establish a safe, nurturing, and affordable childcare solution. The Center quickly became a cornerstone of the community’s recovery, serving hundreds of families over the years and earning a reputation for excellence in early childhood development.

“In the early days after Wilma, we weren’t just building a school—we were helping rebuild lives,” said Lopez. “But the most rewarding part of the past twenty years has been seeing some of my very first preschoolers return—now as parents themselves—trusting us with their own children. That’s a legacy I’ll carry with me forever.”

Over its 20-year history, The Learning Center of Key West has served as more than just a daycare facility—it has been a community hub, a safe haven, and a vital support system for working parents and growing children.

The Center’s leadership will spend the coming weeks working closely with families to ensure a smooth transition for all children currently enrolled, including assistance with placement in alternate childcare arrangements.

While the Center’s physical doors will close on October 9th, the impact of its service will continue to be felt across the Key West community for generations to come.

We would like to thank the Key West Housing Authority for its six years of assistance in bringing daycare services closer to the community it serves. We are also grateful to Michelle's Foundation, as the Center would have had a much more difficult time reaching this 20-year milestone without their faithful support.

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