Meet Melissa (CARE House #22)

About the property

This newly constructed modular home, with a specifically designed addition for licensed child care operations, is situated at one end of an affordable housing development that supports workers. The home features clean lines of sight throughout the dedicated child care space and the outdoor classroom area. This is one of the first two properties in Colorado purchased by Care Access Real Estate® (CARE). The two CARE homes in this development are twins, though the lot sizes and shapes are distinct.

About the provider

As a teen, Melissa “hated doing child care.” Throughout her 20s, Melissa thought she would be focusing on being an artist, remaining single and child-free. Ten years of helping care for her older sister’s children and unexpectedly having her own child in her late 20s, however, helped her realize she loves kids and is gifted at providing care.

This newfound passion would soon be tested in ways she never could have imagined.

Her son Radley was diagnosed with cancer at 15 months old, at which time Melissa and her family moved from Austin, Texas, to Houston, where they were able to access needed medical care. After Radley passed away at age three, Melissa and her family decided to take a road trip through the Southwest. She fell in love with the Colorado Western Slope and moved there six months later.

Not feeling like she could work a “regular” job with other adults, after such a traumatic loss, Melissa decided to give the child care profession a try. She worked as an in-home nanny for seven years for a family with whom she is still close. The mother of the children informed her of an opportunity with a new Bright Futures initiative for child care providers starting their own business.

Melissa joined the business training cohort in the spring of 2024, which served as the initial vetting process for CARE. After presenting her vision and business plan for her child care program, CARE matched her with a home in Ouray, CO, that was specifically allocated for child care in a new development by Rural Homes.

Melissa shares that the matching process felt surreal. “I had been living in overpriced, run-down apartments for so long. With a subsidy, my rent will be $300 cheaper than before, and I’m loving the smell of trees and the sound of the river.”

Melissa has created a play and nature-focused space where children can get dirty and messy. She aims to provide stability and a welcoming, safe space for the children in her care.

“I was surprised CARE actually cared,” says Melissa. “They weren’t just the money behind the house.”

About Care Access Real Estate®

Working with local ecosystem partners, Care Access Real Estate® (CARE) purchases homes in areas identified as not having enough quality child care, renovates them into ideal spaces licensable for large family child care, and leases them to child care providers who have gone through a vetting process. CARE’s national portfolio of commercial and residential properties is specifically designed to expand quality child care and help unlock the full potential and aspirations of center- and home-based providers.

Disclosure: The experiences of Melissa, a current CARE provider tenant, are shared above. No compensation was provided in connection with the experiences shared.