PIKETON, Ohio — The Ross-Pike Educational Service District will administer a $6 million childcare initiative for Pike County funded by SB Energy and OpenAI, the district announced Monday.
District officials, along with representatives from the two companies, gathered at the Endeavor Center in Pike County to mark the launch of the Pike County Childcare Affordability and Capacity Initiative, according to a news release.
As lead administrator and fiscal agent, the Ross-Pike ESD will oversee the program’s design, determine family eligibility and administer competitive grants to childcare providers, the release said.
The initiative splits the $6 million evenly between two funds. A $3 million Family Childcare Subsidy Fund will provide multi-year subsidies to Pike County families earning between 200% and 400% of the federal poverty level — households that work, train or attend school but don’t qualify for Ohio’s Publicly Funded Child Care program, according to the release. With local childcare averaging $9,800 a year per child, participating families would pay no more than $3,275 out of pocket, a savings of about $6,525 per child annually, the release said.
A second $3 million Provider Expansion and Support Fund, which includes up to $300,000 for administration, will fund competitive grants to licensed centers, school-based programs, nonprofits and licensed home-based providers to expand facilities, add second- or third-shift care, or create infant and toddler spaces, according to the release. Priority will go to proposals that create new childcare capacity, address infant and toddler shortages, offer non-traditional hours or serve areas of the county with limited access, the release said.
“Access to high-quality, affordable childcare is foundational to both early childhood development and a thriving regional workforce,” Ross-Pike ESD Superintendent Todd Burkitt said in a statement. “We see the daily impact that the childcare shortage has on our local families and schools. By partnering with SB Energy and OpenAI, we are not just providing temporary relief — we are building a sustainable infrastructure that supports our children, empowers our parents, and strengthens the entire Pike County community.”
SB Energy, which is developing the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus data center project in Pike County, called the childcare fund its first investment through a community benefits program. “We’re building more than just infrastructure in Pike County. We’re investing in the long-term wellbeing of the community,” said Karl Brutsaert, the company’s head of development and origination, in a statement. “Ross-Pike ESD’s leadership ensures that our investment will be deployed exactly where it is needed most, addressing both sides of local childcare needs.”
Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer, said the investment was meant to deliver direct benefits to residents near the companies’ project. “The people of the towns helping build America’s economic future should get real results for themselves and their families,” Lehane said in a statement. “We’ve committed to investing in the people of Pike County, and this investment with SB Energy and Ross-Pike ESD is a concrete example of putting our money where our mouth is.”
The Ross-Pike ESD said it will finalize the program’s design and open family eligibility and provider grant applications in the coming months.
The information contained in this story was obtained from a news release issued by SB Energy, OpenAI and the Ross-Pike Educational Service District.
