ROCKFORD, IL — A pair of Rockford nonprofits came together the morning of Sept. 10 to celebrate the completion of dual projects serving area adults and children.
Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois announced the grand opening of the Excel Center, an adult high school, and the YMCA of Rock River Valley announced the grand opening of a newly renovated Kids’ Care Center. Both facilities are located at the SwedishAmerican Riverfront YMCA, 200 Y Boulevard, in Rockford.
The Excel Center is a place where area adults can obtain high school diplomas, and the newly remodeled Kids’ Care facility is place where children can be supervised while their parents participate in YMCA programs or attend the Excel Center.
“The diploma is not the finish line. It’s the launching point,” said Ben Bernsten, president of Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois. “Students have the opportunity to earn industry-recognized credentials and college credits, preparing them not just for graduation, but for meaningful careers with family-sustaining wages.”
According to Goodwill Industries, the Excel Center will open Sept. 15 with 150 students. Registration will take place every eight weeks.
The center was nine years in the making, Bernsten said. It started with a donation of $5 million from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, followed by a $1 million federal grant, a $200,000 gift of technology from the Nicor Foundation and $100,000 in state funding along with various local gifts from community partners such as Midland States Bank.
Renovations for the center cost $1.5 million. Leftover funds will go toward operations.
“Together, we are opening the door to brighter futures, stronger families, and a more vibrant Rockford,” Bernsten said.
It’s estimated that more than one million adults in Illinois do not have a high school diploma. Nearly 30,000 of them call Rockford home.
Students at Rockford’s Excel Center will have access to academic programs, personalized learning plans, small class sizes and dedicated instructors. The curriculum is tailored to meet the needs of adult learners.
Goodwill abandoned a previous plan to open the Excel Center inside a vacant space at North Towne Mall in late 2024 when the chance to move into the YMCA location became available, Marketing Manager Shannon Harper said.
Goodwill believed the YMCA would make for an ideal partner. And the area at the YMCA that was available had already been used as classroom space by Judson University, which had decided to vacate.
“Every piece fit perfectly,” Harper said. “From the childcare location to the classrooms, everything was perfect. Really it had everything we needed. But we did go in and do some renovation and gave it a facelift.”
Through a partnership with Goodwill Industries and the introduction of the Excel Center, the YMCA invested $750,000 to renovate its Kids’ Care Center into a vibrant and nurturing space for children.
“We are in love with this new area and can’t wait to see the facial expressions as little ones arrive next week,” Rachel Robinson, executive director of the SwedishAmerican Riverfront YMCA, said in a news release. “We believe all people thrive in environments that inspire. We are eager to see imagination come to life as they go camping, construct a project, create artwork or visit the store.”
“We know that a lack of childcare can be a major barrier for adults pursuing their high school diploma,” Bernsten said in the release. “With the opening of The Excel Center and the partnership with the Y on this space, we’ve helped remove that barrier. Parents now have a safe, engaging place for their children while they work toward a better future.”
Corina Curry is the editor of the Rockford Register Star. Reporter Jeff Kolkey and photographer Kara Hawley contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford celebrates opening of new Excel Center, remodeled Kids Care Center
Reporting by Corina Curry, Rockford Register Star / Rockford Register Star
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