ASHLAND - Roughly 75 people came out Thursday for a groundbreaking ceremony at the future site of the new Foundations Community Childcare center.

The facility is scheduled to open in early 2024 on a three-acre donated site at Ford Drive in the Ashland Business Park, with the design and construction being done by Simonson Construction Services.

According to the Ashland County Community Foundation website, the Women's Fund Steering Committee began the child care initiative "to expand access to high-quality, affordable child care in Ashland County."

The new child care center is expected to provide another option for families.

"Our $4.5 million goal includes construction and start-up costs as well as an endowment component," a post on the website reads. More than $4.3 million has been raised.

The 12,400-square-foot facility will accommodate 150 children.

The Women's Fund developed a plan for the center and a funding model that includes both income-based and employer-supported tuition assistance as well as grant funding and endowment. The plan is expected to enable the center to operate sustainably while remaining affordable for families.

Funding for the center has included eight grants and support from 237 individual donors, 45 businesses and 13 faith-based and service organizations.

The groundbreaking ceremony marks the culmination of the initiative and a passing of the baton from the Women's Fund to Foundations Community Childcare.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Groundbreaking spotlights Foundations Community Childcare in Ashland