Yoder auto companies to open child care center for employee families

GREELEY — The Yoder family of automotive companies will open a child care center for the children of company employees in mid-March.

The Yoder Family of Companies, trade name for Yoder Management LLC, which operates 10 companies in the Greeley and Fort Collins areas involved in automotive sales, service, and financing, announced last year that it would open such a center as a means of attracting and retaining workers. The company said then that about 18% of its 300-member workforce would directly benefit from the center. Bill Johnson, human resources director for Yoder, also said at the time that it was important for the company to create a comfortable workplace.

“We want employees to feel comfortable about the care of their children. We wanted to create a family-friendly work environment where people can focus on their jobs because they know their children are cared for. This came together because of NoCo Works,” he said, in reference to a regional effort among chambers of commerce, employers, workforce centers and foundations in the region to create systems that help companies attract qualified workers.

The Early Childhood Education Center will cater to infants and children up to the age of five and offer a comprehensive curriculum designed to nurture and prepare them for success. The center will be state-licensed and Colorado Shines rated. The center will have certified educators on staff to provide care and education tailored to each age group.

Johnson said that the company has hired a director who will help with staffing the center, selecting furnishings and final layout. Between seven and 10 staff members are anticipated. The center will operate during standard business hours to accommodate working parents.

Yoder has leased a space for the center from Journey Church, 4754 W. 31st St., in Greeley. At inception, members of Journey Church will have access to the available child care slots. If Yoder and Journey members do not fill it to capacity, then the company will offer spaces to children of first responders in the community, Johnson said.

Child care will not be free to employees, Johnson said, but because of the company’s Weld Family Cares nonprofit, rates will be discounted substantially off of what the market might otherwise charge.

“We hope this will be a recruitment tool for us and help us to expand our workforce,” Johnson said. “We want to be the best employer of choice in the community,” he said.

“At Yoder Family of Companies, the well-being of our employees and their families is at the center of everything we do,” Warren Yoder, president and CEO of the company, said in a written statement. “We recognize the challenges working parents face when it comes to childcare, and that’s why we are proud to offer this Early Childhood Education Center. This project exemplifies our commitment to supporting our employees and their families while fostering early childhood development.”

Among the Yoder companies are the Weld County Garage, Yoder Chevrolet and Driven Financial Services. 

The company said that the child care expansion came about because of a regional collaborative effort that included the state of Colorado, Aims Community College, United Way, and Weld County Workforce Services.

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