MECA started with six preschoolers and nineteen after schoolers, and grew over time to accommodate 56 preschoolers by 2019. We were eventually running year-round programs for approximately 200 children ages 3-12 throughout Washington County as well as summer residents from as far as Washington, DC. and California.
As the program grew, we knew it was time to expand to a space where we could create more opportunities for more families in a larger setting. When the coronavirus pandemic upended our lives, we doubled down on our focus to provide safe summer programming for families, to ensure we could support parents by continuing to provide children with opportunities for social, emotional and developmental growth. We partnered with the Mad River Valley Community Fund and set out together to reach all local families who needed support. We changed our name to Neck Of the Woods and sought nonprofit status