08/17/2026
Flourish Launches Partnership to Expand Affordable Early Childhood Education and Childcare in Tuscarawas County
(New Philadelphia, Ohio) - Flourish Early Learning Center is proud to partner with Tuscarawas County businesses through the Ohio Department of Children and Youth's Childcare Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative. This is a program built on a simple idea: childcare is a critical piece to the overall economic infrastructure in a community. This innovative program is designed to make quality childcare more affordable for working families while helping local employers recruit and retain a strong workforce and ensuring access to quality early learning programs.
Through the initiative, local businesses partner with Flourish ELC by contributing a monthly childcare stipend on behalf of participating employees. Employers determine the monthly amount they are comfortable contributing for each enrolled child. The employer sets the number that fits its budget, and every dollar of it lands directly on a family's tuition bill. This flexible approach allows businesses of every size to offer childcare assistance as a meaningful employee benefit without assuming the full cost of care.
For Tuscarawas County families, the impact is immediate, reducing childcare expenses and making high-quality early education more attainable. Childcare is one of the largest line items in a young family’s budget, and for many Tuscarawas County parents and caregivers, it is the deciding factor in whether returning to work makes financial sense at all. For employers, the program strengthens recruitment and retention efforts, reduces workforce barriers, and demonstrates a commitment to supporting working families. Childcare benefits consistently rank among the most valued offerings a company can put on the table. Collectively, these investments create lasting economic benefits by helping parents remain in the workforce, strengthening local businesses, and investing in the next generation of our community.
“For Tuscarawas County, the impact compounds,” explained Michaela Thomas, Owner of Flourish Early Learning Center. “More parents in the workforce means more filled positions, more stability for the employers who anchor this community, and children spending their earliest years in a quality early learning environment. That is a return on investment that continues for decades into the future.”
Flourish ELC is proud to launch the initiative with early partner, Tusco MFG.
“Access to dependable childcare shouldn't stand between someone and a good job. We're proud to partner with Flourish to help make that a reality for TuscoMFG employees and families across our community,” explained Mike Lauber with TuscoMFG
The partnership is gaining momentum, with additional local employers identified for future participation. Through grant support, qualifying businesses that join the initiative by December 31 may have a portion of their employer-sponsored childcare contribution matched through June 2027, creating an opportunity to amplify their investment while providing meaningful, immediate support to working families. COAD4Kids serves as the fiscal agent for all grant dollars as part of the initiative.
The DCY grant-supported period is designed to serve as a catalyst, helping employers explore early childhood education and childcare assistance as a sustainable workforce benefit. As the initiative grows, Flourish intends to continue developing partnerships with area employers based on program capacity, available resources, and the needs of participating families and businesses.
“Through collaborative community initiatives, Flourish ELC is dedicated to continuing to expand to opportunities that help children, and the community, thrive,” added Thomas.
