BOISE, Idaho — The Treasure Valley Family YMCA is growing in a big way after receiving a multi-million-dollar gift.
The new CapEd Downtown Boise YMCA was given a $2 million donation from the Kissler family to fund an early education center next to the YMCA. The donation will be used for an early learning center dedicated to the Kissler family, officially named the “Kissler Family Early Education Center.”
David Duro, CEO of Treasure Valley Family YMCA, announced this milestone for childcare in Boise on Thursday, Aug. 29, from the Governor’s Office in the State Capitol.
The Kissler family and the YMCA have a strong relationship history, starting in 1968 when the Kisslers obtained the Norco company. The long-standing partnership led up to the donation.
“One of the great joys in my career has been meeting these amazing business and government leaders from across our communities and they're all just such good people and they want good things for other people. So, it makes it really easy to develop that friendship," David Duro told KTVB Thursday.
The early learning center will host children from six weeks to five years old.
The new center’s 123 available spots will double the YMCA's childcare capacity Downtown.
Jim Kissler, of the Kissler family, expressed, “It’s good that we know that the YMCA is helping the 42,000 children throughout the entire Treasure Valley. They have a big impact in this area with what they’re going to do: learning, healthcare, and just provide for families.”
The expansion comes at a critical time as Boise faces a shortage of affordable and accessible childcare.
“We know this valley is growing, and to be able to provide the services needed to maintain the quality of life, we need more YMCA locations," Duro said.
The center will be the newest of 33 childcare sites across Treasure Valley.
The next step is breaking ground on the new CapEd Downtown Boise YMCA, which is expected to open in late 2025 or early 2026.
Read more about the entire CapEd Downtown Boise YMCA project here.