OhioGuidestone Sells FLCC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2020
OhioGuidestone Sells Family Life Child Care Centers (OhioGuidestone Sells FLCC) to Horizon Education Centers
BEREA OHIO, February 17, 2020 – OhioGuidestone today announced it has sold its Berea- and Lakewood-based Family Life Child Care Centers (FLC) to Horizon Education Centers (Horizon), effective April 1, 2020.
OhioGuidestone opened FLC in 1983 to provide quality, affordable childcare options for its employees, their families and the community. The agency says its commitment to that has not changed and Horizon’s expertise in the field of early childhood education was key in the decision to sell.
“This came after long and thoughtful consideration, with the well-being of our staff and the children we care for at FLC in mind,” said Richard Frank, OhioGuidestone President and CEO. “OhioGuidestone has grown into one of the largest behavioral health agencies in the state, with our focus shifting heavily to providing mental health counseling, substance use disorder treatment, workforce development training and other services of that nature. Horizon, however, has been solely focused on early childhood education, care and youth development programs for more than 40 years.”
Horizon, a nonprofit educational organization established in 1978, is headquartered in North Olmsted and currently operates 10 childcare centers throughout Cuyahoga and Lorain counties, not including the newly acquired FLC Berea and Lakewood sites. Like FLC, Horizon offers a range of programs, from childcare and preschool to before- or after-school care and summer camp. All of Horizon’s centers are also Step Up to Quality rated, as are FLC’s.
“Ohio’s tiered quality rating system is called Step Up to Quality and rates centers from one to five stars,” said David Smith, Executive Director at Horizon Education Centers. “The Family Life Child Care Centers are rated at five stars. That is important to us and we are excited to add these two high quality centers to the Horizon Family.”
Horizon wants the transition to be as smooth as possible for everyone involved and has no immediate plans to change the operations of the centers, which was also a factor in OhioGuidestone’s decision.
“They are extending offers to all of our current staff who wish to stay at FLC Berea or Lakewood,” said Frank. “It was critical that we not eliminate jobs for our employees while also maintaining the consistency and level of care our families have come to expect for their children.”
Horizon is adept at implementing changes of this nature. During the last several years, Horizon has seen consistent growth, adding sites and developing partnerships with schools, government entities, other nonprofits and corporations to increase the quantity and quality of its early childhood and afterschool programs. Starting April 1, 2020, FLC will be branded as The Berea & Lakewood Horizon Education Center.
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About OhioGuidestone
OhioGuidestone, a leader in the field of behavioral health, has been helping individuals throughout Ohio reset their paths, reclaim their autonomy and restore their purpose for more than 155 years. The nonprofit, Berea-based organization connects individuals with the resources needed to achieve lifelong success, providing community counseling, substance use disorder treatment, early childhood mental health services, workforce development training and more. Connect with us on www.ohioguidestone.org, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or by calling 440-260-8303.
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