At Hand in Hand, moments like this happen every day. Children of all abilities learn, play, and grow together, not in separate spaces, but side by side. They’re everyday experiences. And they shape a more empathetic, connected community.

“Papa Steve!”, “Papa Steve!” the toddler room kids shout as they run out onto the playground, tiny buckets at the ready. Papa Steve, as he’s affectionately known at Hand in Hand, is getting his hands dirty, helping fill the playground with mulch and is having our littlest participants help.

There is a very real need in our community for childcare, especially childcare that accepts children with disabilities. According to the Iowa Women’s Foundation, Scott County has already lost 38% of its childcare businesses over the past 5 years.