Fergus Falls village will offer homes with daycare 'pods'

FERGUS FALLS, Minn. — The first of three twin-home structures, each containing two daycare "pods," is being built as part of the new Channing Child Care Village in Fergus Falls. If all goes to plan, the first "pod" will open by Jan. 1, 2027. Once complete, the village will consist of six childcare pods, all built on PioneerCare land. The project — a partnership between PioneerCare and Fergus Falls Area Habitat for Humanity — began with PioneerCare's own workforce problem: A shortage of childcare was costing the senior living organization's employees. "What started out as a solution for PioneerCare has now kind of grown into a community-wide solution," said Nathan Johnson, CEO of PioneerCare. "It's just a privilege for Pioneer to be a part of that and to partner with Habitat." In 2022 it opened PioneerKids, using vacant assisted-living space and turning it into an on-campus childcare center. It worked, but now PioneerCare needs that space back for assisted livin