Kasey Kile Wilkinson in the News: Building a New Path for Child Care
Ribbon Cutting (left to right): Nick Whitney - AKA, Bob Copple - Ascension Via Christi Hospital, Vern Henricks - Greater Manhattan Community Foundation, Kasey Kile Wilkinson - Childcare Business Initiative Visionary, Natalie Gordon - Childcare Business Initiative Visionary, Governor Laura Kelly, Lisa Sederlin Isaacson - Director, Melissa Bowles - Childcare Business Initiative Visionary, George Kandt - Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, Andrew Gerth - BHS, Matt Crocker - SPS Inc.
At MHK Play Studio, we’ve always believed that children, families, and communities thrive when we come together to imagine new possibilities. This month, that vision expanded far beyond our walls as the Child Care Business Initiative (CBI) officially launched inside the new Flint Hills Community Accelerator.
This isn’t just another child care center—it’s something entirely new. For the first time, the Manhattan, KS community has created a program that supports people in becoming child care business owners, walking alongside them with the training, coaching, and resources they need to succeed.
The idea was born from a simple truth: the shortage of child care is not a one-dimensional problem. Families are waiting for spaces, providers are overwhelmed, and new business owners face enormous hurdles—like getting licensed, finding homes that meet state requirements, or navigating the business side of care. Without support, many give up before they ever begin.
That’s where the Child Care Business Initiative is different. By addressing all sides of the challenge at once, the CBI helps eliminate barriers and empowers providers to start strong and stay sustainable. The result? More high-quality family child care programs, more options for families, and a stronger foundation for our region.
Our founder, Kasey Kile Wilkinson, has been working on this vision for more than four years as part of the Manhattan Child Care Task Force. In a recent Mercury article, she reflected on the power of this unique model:
“This is about creating lasting infrastructure for families, providers, and our community.”
This work has also been highlighted by WIBW, noting that the initiative is primed to increase available child care across the region.
What makes this especially powerful is that it’s not just about child care—it’s about community care. The Flint Hills Community Accelerator brings together child care, health care, financial guidance, employment services and small business support under one roof. It’s a holistic, first-of-its-kind approach that could serve as a model for the rest of the nation.
At MHK Play Studio, we see this work as an extension of our mission. Every day, we create spaces where children can explore, families feel supported, and community connections grow. The Child Care Business Initiative is that same mission, scaled to a regional level—proof that when we invest in people and believe in their potential, we build something far bigger than ourselves.
Because when families have what they need, when providers feel supported, and when children are given safe and nurturing spaces—the entire community wins.