Donations allow nonprofit child care center to purchase vans
In November 2022 First Interstate Bank's Ambassador Program helped kick off Discovery Developmental Center’s van campaign with a $5,000 donation. The check was presented to DDC Director Collette Box, pictured here with Stephen Walters and Jessica Tabish, both from the Whitefish branch, Elizabeth Clairmont from the Polson branch, and Emily Palus from the Evergreen branch.
Discovery Developmental Center is wrapping up its year-long Van Campaign with the successful purchase of a Ford Transit 12-passenger van, and funds available in the bank to purchase a second van in the coming months.
Kicked off in November 2022 by a $5,000 donation from First Interstate Bank’s Ambassador Program, the center spent most of 2023 raising funds to purchase two newer passenger vans to replace the aging vans utilized in the past 15 years.
“Since 1992, Discovery has been teaching children about the local community through field trips, utilizing a variety of different transportation options over the years,” says Director Collette Box. “Replacing our current vans became a safety and financial priority, and with the help of our generous and supportive families and community, we will be able to continue offering field trip experiences to future children as well.”
The center purchased the first van in June and spent the summer exploring Flathead Valley parks and other destinations with the children. The purchase of a second van will be completed in spring 2024.
In addition to First Interstate Bank, donations were also received from Three Rivers Bank, Airworks Heating and Cooling Solutions, Brunsell Lumber of Madison, Wisconsin, Corwin Motors, Inland Empire Community Foundation, and dozens of generous former/current families, board members, and community friends.
“In addition, we received an incredible donation of a Honda minivan from a former DDC family for use as a replacement van or to sell,” says Box. “Car seats take up an incredible amount of space, so the van didn’t work well for our purposes. The van was sold this summer to a family with four children, which we felt good about."
Proceeds from the donated van, plus the sale of the retired vans helped the center achieve the financial goal of $60,000.
The center is nonprofit and licensed childcare center that has been serving children and families from the Flathead Valley since 1992. Started by two pediatric therapists who observed the need for inclusive, high-quality child care and preschool programming, the center is the only nationally accredited childcare center in the valley and provides high-quality childcare to more than 125 families annually. The center’s mission is to build a community of early childhood professionals and families dedicated to creating rich learning environments for all children.