New Markets Tax Credit Funding Adds Childcare, Counseling, and Healthcare Access to Atchison Community Hub

Founded in 1857, St. Benedict’s Abbey (the “Abbey”) is a monastery that serves the educational and pastoral needs of Atchison, Kansas, also co-sponsoring both Benedictine College and Maur Hill-Mount Academy in the region.

They Abbey pursued this project in direct response to the 2021 All In For Kids Needs Assessment that classified Atchison County, KS as a Childcare Desert. As a steward of the community, the Abbey coordinated public meetings to establish stakeholder goals and ultimately partnered with First Steps Childhood Learning Center, an existing childcare provider in the region, to apply for a Capital Projects Fund Accelerator (CPFA) grant through the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, an agency established in 2023 in response to the same statewide childcare study. The Abbey was later awarded $4,999,999 from this application cycle in 2024 to pursue the project in earnest.

The Abbey is renovating the former Kansas Juvenile Correctional Facility (KJCF) into a multi-service community center focused on childcare, counseling, and healthcare services for families and individuals in rural Atchison County, KS and the surrounding community (the “Project”). Originally constructed in the mid-1900s, the former KCJF campus consists of seven buildings. Three of the buildings, totaling 30,000 square feet, are being repurposed by the Abbey to better serve the community’s current needs by adding childcare slots and improving primary and mental health outcomes. All programs will be implemented under a “No Wrong Door Approach,” which is a people-centered solution that provides an inclusive gateway to community resources.

Childcare:

Childcare Services will be provided by First Steps Childhood Learning Center, an existing operator with over 15 years of experience serving the Atchison community. The projected enrollment includes 27 infants (0-12 mos), 41 toddlers (12 mos-2.5 yrs), 72 preschoolers (2.5-5 yrs), and 48 school-age children (6-12 yrs). The center will be licensed to operate six days a week, and up to 24 hours a day to support parents working second and third shifts. Childcare services will initially be offered through a fixed-fee schedule based on age groups. A sliding-scale fee structure based on household income will be implemented in the future. In the meantime, the Abbey aims to fiscally sponsor First Steps Childhood Learning Center, creating the opportunity to provide scholarships through fundraising efforts, grants, and community support.

Healthcare:

To address Atchison County’s partial designation as a medically underserved area as well as a health professional shortage area for primary care, the Abbey has partnered with KerixHealth to provide preventative and health monitoring services on campus. KerixHealth is an integral pillar to the Abbey’s “No Wrong Door Approach,” providing multiple services under one roof and reducing common transportation barriers. This method is critical for a service area with a higher uninsured rate than both the state and the nation. Patients will be educated on positive health practices while receiving access to physicals, immunizations, and more, effectively doubling the number of patients it currently serves. Also notable, KerixHealth operates under a membership-based model that increases access and frequency to healthcare services at flat monthly fees, which has been shown to reduce patient costs overall.

In addition, mental health counseling will be provided by Sacred Heart Counseling and family and life skills counseling for expectant parents and parents of young children will be provided by the Pregnancy Resource Center of Atchison. All of Pregnancy Resource Center’s services are free, and Sacred Heart offers Catholic Charities assistance to low-income individuals.

Broadband Access & Career Closet:

Local internet service provider Rainbow Communications is adding a fiber hub to the Project, enhancing internet access for on-site users and Atchison residents. The improved broadband will remove digital barriers often experienced by rural communities and unlock greater access to services like online education, job training, and virtual collaboration. This initiative also connects jobseekers to online portals, potential employers, and virtual job fairs, significantly expanding awareness to employment opportunities. Additionally, the flexibility of broadband access accommodates individuals with special needs and caregiving responsibilities, fostering a more inclusive and skilled workforce.

Together, these services will benefit the area’s less educated and high poverty populations by removing common barriers and creating a stronger foundation for families to achieve long-term stability. In total, the project expects to serve several hundred unique individuals annually, over 60% of which are expected to be low-income.

The Project will create and retain 33 full-time equivalent positions, including directors, kitchen staff, teachers, healthcare professionals, and counselors. Employees will have access to company-sponsored benefit plans as well as onsite child and healthcare services provided through the Project’s partnering organizations. Construction required 121 unique employees, all earning a Living Wage with most being Accessible positions.

Furthermore, the primary tenant, First Steps Childhood Learning Center, will expand its recruitment and professional development program aimed at attracting individuals interested in pursuing a career in early childhood development and education. Part of this initiative includes providing internship and work placement opportunities for Highland Community College and Benedictine College students in their Early Childhood Education or related Certificate programs. Interns gain hands-on experience to complement college coursework and receive mentorship and guidance from experienced educators while working in the field.

By expanding access to essential services and fostering collaboration among community partners, this NMTC-funded project is creating a more connected, equitable, and opportunity-rich future for Atchison County, KS. In collaboration with financial institutions such as Impact Marketplace, Dudley Ventures, and IFF, St. Benedict’s Abbey received the crucial New Markets Tax Credits they needed to stimulate educational and medical prosperity for low-income individuals and families. The Abbey has positioned itself as a lasting catalyst for improved quality of life and economic mobility across a historically underserved, rural community.