Meet Kim and Jahleel

  • Hand in Hand is here for all of us. Like Kim, the working mom who can work without worry because she knows her son, Jahleel, is safe and care for after school.

    Accessible childcare and workforce support go hand in hand..

    Here for people, here for families, here for the Quad Cities.

    It’s mine. It’s ours.

“Without Hand in Hand I would still be homeless,” Kim explained to us as she told us about how Hand in Hand has been a support for her family.  

After losing her job in the Houston area because of a lack of sustainable specialized child care for her son Jahleel, Kim planned a move back to the Quad Cities and got in touch with Hand in Hand.

“I got on a waitlist months in advance and moved back to the area from Houston, Texas specifically for this childcare knowing I had a fighting chance to work full time and have more affordable housing,” said Kim.

She said she was drawn to Hand in Hand because of the knowledgeable staff, the fact that we offered care on school-out days, offered summer care, had opportunities for summer outings, had a fenced in outdoor area, and accepted waiver services and childcare assistance.

She said being able to talk to the staff, take a tour, read online reviews, and hear personal testimonials from other families helped her to make the decision.

“I knew my son would be safe and have opportunities to do things like same aged peers with summer outings and getting social interactions to lessen the effects of regression during non-school days and summer break,” she explained of her decision to choose Hand in Hand.

Kim said that she loved the fact that Hand in Hand is inclusive, in that we offer spots to both neurotypical children and children with disabilities. She explained that Hand in Hand is the only organization in the area truly specializing in care for children with disabilities.

Having care here has allowed Kim to work full-time and has given her peace of mind knowing that Jahleel is cared for in a safe environment and is having fun.

“By having my son attend the after-school program and summer program, I have seen how his social abilities have blossomed both with peers and staff that has carried over to school, home, therapies, and in public.”

“I would highly recommend Hand in Hand to other families looking for care. Hand in Hand has amazing staff and truly cares about each child.”