🏘️ Building Atlantic’s Future 

When Iowa communities see a real need, they don’t sit around waiting on Washington — they get to work. One of the best parts of my job is helping local leaders turn their ideas into reality by delivering federal support for local projects that make a real difference back home.

That’s exactly how Community Project Funding (CPF) is supposed to work. Instead of Washington picking winners and losers, local leaders set the priorities — and we help get the job done.

What’s new: Today in Atlantic, we announced $2.5 million in funding to build a new child care development center — a project driven by local leaders, elected officials, and nonprofit partners who saw a clear need to support working families and strengthen the Cass County community.

Why it matters: Cass County — the home of the new center — has been designated as a child care desert, meaning there are more kids than available child care slots. Too often, that forces parents to commute long distances, cut back hours, or even leave the community altogether just to find reliable care for their kids. 

This project changes that by delivering: 

👶 Care for up to 300 children, from infants through age seven

🏫 Two dedicated preschool classrooms

👷 Approximately 100 local jobs 

📈 A projected $48 million increase in the local tax base

Reliable, affordable child care keeps parents working, businesses growing, and young families rooted in their communities — and that’s exactly what this investment is all about. 

Bottom Line: The best projects start in Iowa, not Washington. I’ll keep fighting to put more dollars in local hands so communities can solve problems, grow stronger, and build a brighter future for Iowa families.