DES MOINES, Iowa — ChildServe is looking to expand not only its facilities but the number of children they care for.
The organization, which specializes in care and rehabilitation for children with special health needs, plans to purchase a portion of unused land near the Des Moines Masonic Cemetery.
Dr. Teri Wahlig, president and CEO of ChildServe, told Local 5 that they have seen major growth in recent years. As more and more families continue to seek out the services they provide, waitlists for key programs have built up.
"A bigger facility will allow us to elevate four of our signature programs in this new location," Wahlig said. "That includes medical childcare, pediatric rehabilitation, our autism program, and a new design, which we will call Neurobehavioral Specialty Clinic."
ChildServe currently operates out of three main locations in Ames, Johnston and Des Moines. If the Des Moines City Council agrees to sell the land, the Des Moines location on Woodland Avenue will relocate into the new facility.
"Our current location is limited to only allowing us to serve about 60 children. We simply don't have enough space," Wahlig said. "This new location, a bigger building, will increase our ability to serve 600 children, a real transformational change for ChildServe and the Des Moines community."
So far, ChildServe has raised about 70% of the $10 million needed to fund the project through its page.
ChildServe will remain headquartered in Johnston, but Wahlig hopes the expansion will make their Des Moines location more accessible to families in the metro. In 2023, nearly 6,000 children across Iowa utilized their services.
"It's residential and commercial, so it's a great access point for families coming to ChildServe," Wahlig said, adding that Des Moines school busses will be able to transport students to their before and after school programs.
The purchase is pending final approval from the Des Moines City Council as it is currently owned by the city. A hearing on the proposal is scheduled for the council's upcoming meeting on Feb. 19.