Faith Kimbrough’s unwavering dedication to learning and commitment to providing quality care have laid the foundation for Faith’s House, a small business that embodies her legacy through the children and families she nurtures. Backed by her education, extensive classroom and leadership experience, and a robust network of child care experts, Faith’s House stands as a testament to her hard work and passion.
Faith’s House is a black-owned, woman-owned business born from Faith’s deep-seated passion for child development and her belief in the critical importance of early childhood. Faith’s journey in child care began as a babysitter, leading her to work in various child care centers. She earned an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Development, followed by a Bachelor’s in Family and Consumer Science with a major in Early Childhood Development and then a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Development. Faith’s conviction that early childhood shapes a person’s entire life has driven her to dedicate her education and career to providing the best care possible for every child she encounters.
After college, Faith gained valuable experience working in Early Head Start and Head Start programs, and in Great Start to Readiness Programs (GSRP). Her passion for achieving quality in these programs was fueled by the impact they had on young children. With this focus on quality, Faith started her own home-based child care program. However, the limited capacity of her home-based business led her to expand. In July 2023, she opened her own childcare center in Madison Heights, offering GSRP programming, infant and toddler care, and school-aged care. She continually strives for excellence, supported by Great Start to Quality assessments, and takes pride in providing recognized high-quality care. Faith acknowledges the invaluable support from local child care resources, support, and the Oakland County community. “For me to get GSRP opened up that door for me to meet all the resources that I needed to feel confident in where I’m at,” she reflects.
Faith looks back fondly on her journey and embraces new challenges with a positive outlook. An important goal for Faith’s House has been attracting diverse families. “I am blessed to have all kinds of families in my center. I want my kids to know that you can get along with everyone, and I have been blessed to do that,” she shares. Faith also notes the challenges of learning the business side of running a child care center, including hiring staff, but she is grateful for the low staff turnover in the past year. “I’ve been so blessed to have good people in my corner, and I have a lot of people in this field I can talk to about things that come up,” she says.
Faith encourages anyone considering opening a child care center to pursue it. “I have helped so many people open child care centers,” said Faith, “but so many people helped me. Read and ask questions,” she advises. The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) offers resources like Our Strong Start for those interested in starting a child care business.
Quality is the cornerstone of Faith’s personal belief and legacy, permeating every aspect of Faith’s House, from the families and teachers to programming. To learn more about Faith’s House, follow them on Facebook at Faith’s House the Learning Center. For more information on the types of quality programs offered near you, visit the Great Start to Quality page.