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Salvation Army’s Rise ‘n Shine Daycare to close in June

Apr 16, 2018 | 4:11 PM

 

MEDICINE HAT, AB — A daycare operated by the Salvation Army is shutting down this summer.

Rise ‘n Shine Daycare announced Friday it will be closing its doors on June 29.

According to a letter sent out to parents, the Salvation Army has been experiencing “significant financial challenges” operating the daycare program, and is running a deficit of nearly $100,000, accumulated over the past several years.

Captain Mark Stanley, divisional secretary for public relations, said part of that cost came from when the Salvation Army took over the daycare from the previous agency.

“When you operate any kind of service like this, your primary costs are really just the operation of the space and the wages and benefits of the employees to provide the service,” he said over the phone from Edmonton.

Stanley went on to say that the revenue coming in isn’t matching the costs of operating the service.

“At the end of the day, there’s the tension between what can be reasonably charged for service and what are folks able to pay and what are the reductions that we can make,” he said. “When you’re providing a service like this to children, the primary consideration is their safety and to ensure that we have trained staff and the numbers of staff needed.”

The organization said it’s sending the letter to allow parents time to begin looking for a new day care for their children and to allow employees to find another place of employment.