The Solution
OHSU collaborated with KinderCare Learning Companies to create Healthy Starts Learning Center, an
on-site child care center designed to foster academic, social, and emotional growth in children, aligning with OHSU’s core values. Healthy Starts offers a research-based curriculum, sustainable practices endorsed by Eco-Healthy Child Care®, and daily fresh, organic meals prepared with locally sourced ingredients in partnership with a KinderCare nutritionist. The center also features an indoor playground with retractable doors so children can enjoy fresh air, rain or shine—a perfect fit for the Pacific Northwest climate.
Shortly after opening, OHSU expanded its child care benefits to meet the needs of more parents, particularly those who needed child care closer to home rather than work. OHSU bundled
Tuition Benefit and
Priority Waitlist so families could benefit from discounts at any KinderCare center—and move to the top of the waitlist at high-demand centers.
The Results
By bundling child care benefits, OHSU has empowered its employees to find balance and confidence in both their professional and personal lives—and save money. In 2023, an average of 124 children were enrolled at KinderCare using their child care benefit, with families collectively saving $225,000 in child care costs. These child care benefits play a crucial role in supporting the current workforce and attracting the next generation of thinkers and doers.