Until its closure in 2017, Nokomis Child Care Centers filled an important role in the Fargo-Moorhead community.
Nokomis was founded in 1971 by the Fargo–Moorhead Indian Association to respond to a perceived lack of affordable, quality educational child care. Its population grew to include all families, with a special focus on those with financial difficulties or behavioral, developmental or physical issues. In 2006, Nokomis became a part of The Village Family Service Center.
The Village proudly carried on that mission, operating Nokomis I and II for 11 years. In that time, community needs and the realities of providing child care in Fargo-Moorhead changed. Several challenges faced Nokomis operations, including physical building issues, difficulty with recruitment and retention of new staff, increased child care openings due to more competition in the community, increased scholarship needs, and a reduction in consistent funding. Following a thorough analysis of the centers, the decision was made for The Village to transition out of child care services. The final day of Nokomis operations was June 30, 2017.
We are thankful to our dedicated staff and the families we've served, and celebrate Nokomis as an important chapter of The Village's history.