Cape Fear Community College has opened a permanent home for its free drop-in child care program in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. The 2,550-square-foot center gives enrolled student-parents a place for children to learn and play while they attend class, complete assignments or study nearby.
The custom-designed room serves children from 6 months through 12 years old. It includes a quiet enclosed infant area and learning zones for different ages. A separate 3,000-square-foot outdoor learning space is expected to open at the end of September.
Four hours that can hold a school day together
Children may stay for up to four consecutive hours each day under state rules. The center currently operates Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is available only to children of currently enrolled CFCC students.
The program began in a temporary 20-child space in 2023 and expanded the following year as demand grew. Independent reporting by EducationNC documented how student-parents used the service for class and study time, including one mother who said the free care made returning to school possible for her family.
A support service with room to grow
CFCC says it provided 10,966 hours of free care during the past year and estimates that student-parents avoided $154,000 in child care costs. Those figures come from the college and were not independently audited.
A permanent room does not erase every child care barrier, and the program's long-term funding will still matter. It does make one practical promise more durable: student-parents can bring their children to a place built for them, then keep moving toward a degree or credential.