ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – A business in Ithaca is celebrating a major milestone.

April 13 marks five decades in operation for the Ithaca Community Childcare Center (IC3).

IC3 was originally incorporated in 1976 as a “Kiddie Kollege” in a church basement, with four employees serving 20 children a day, and now boasts 110 staff members serving up to 260 kids daily. Today, it’s the largest childcare center in Tompkins County.

“At IC3, community is at the heart of everything we do,” said Executive Director Sherri Koski. “For 50 years, we have remained committed to meeting the evolving needs of children, families, and educators, while staying grounded in the values that define who we are.”

The group briefly merged with the Cornell Community Infant Center in the late 80s before a family and community-led effort led to the opening of IC3’s current location on Warren Road.

Since then, IC3 has achieved national accreditation and expanded its programming and space, including the intergenerational program at Kendal at Ithaca, the Continuity of Care Program, and the 2020 renovation that increased capacity and established a permanent space for its school-age program and summer camp.

A new project is also in the works, as IC3 will soon embark on a playground redesign and build project.