1915 Aerotech Drive, Ste 100, Colorado Springs, CO 80916

Zach’s Place at The Laurie Hillyard Family Center2024-02-03T13:17:11-07:00

Zach’s Place at The Laurie Hillyard Family Center

The Zach’s Place Purpose

We serve special needs and typical children.  Strong, healthy families are at the core of our goals and values. Zach’s Place at the Laurie Hillyard Family Center is the only licensed childcare facility in the Pikes Peak Region that offers specialized child and respite care for youth with disabilities ages 2.5 – 18.  We provide a break and support that parents need, while giving the child a chance for fun and challenging activities in a learning environment.  Moreover, we believe that an inclusive learning environment allows both special needs and typical children to benefit from shared environments and experiences.

A group of children, who are beneficiaries of adult services for people with disabilities, engrossed in playing with toys in a classroom setting.
A building with yellow flowers in front of it, offering Adult Services for people with disabilities.

The Zach’s Place Difference

  • We encourage creativity and create art, write stories and participate in musical activities
  • Provide active, structured, and free play while teaching life skills and socialization skills
  • Operate on a sliding fee scale, no one is ever turned away because of an inability to pay
  • Offer flexible scheduling and individualized support
  • Strive to serve as many families as possible with high quality, compassionate care

Zach’s Place History

Zach’s Place opened its doors in 1998 to provide families in the Pikes Peak region a safe place for parents to entrust their child(ren) with disabilities and their siblings in the care of trained staff without regard to race, religion, or ethnicity.

In November 2015, we officially named the facility Zach’s Place at The Laurie Hillyard Family Center.  The facilities’ new name is in honor of Laurie Hillyard, a woman with a disability who is loved and cherished by her family, the descendants of the Helen K. and Arthur E. Johnson Foundation founders. Read about Laurie’s story.

Today, at Zach’s Place, we seek to strengthen families by providing quality respite care in a nurturing environment, whether for a day, or on an ongoing basis. We also help children achieve their greatest level of independence through life skills training.

A hallway with a sign that says "I am brave" serves as an empowering space for children with special needs and disabilities.

Goals at Zach’s Place

One of our most important goals at Zach’s Place at The Laurie Hillyard Family Center is working on life skills. This is very important to our families that we serve.  These life and development skills help youths to be a more active member of their family and their community.

We work on everyday activities such as:

  • Preparing meals
  • Visiting local stores and restaurants
  • How to be safe at home and in the community

Children are developed and encouraged to:

  • Keep themselves clean
  • Participate in regular exercise
  • Learn the value of socialization

We keep children engaged and connected to their community.

Children may have the opportunity to participate in:

  • Swimming at the YMCA
  • Trip and hikes to local parks like the Garden of the Gods
  • A visit to the North Pole Amusement Park
  • Interact with the animals at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
  • And much more!

We also focus on taking care of physical and mental health.

GARDENS GROW AT ZACH’S PLACE

All children have opportunity to participate in the SKSF Gardens Grow program at Zach’s.

A group of children, including some with special needs and disabilities, playing in a garden.

Zach’s Place Features

SOCIALIZATION

  • Fun Nights
  • Recreational & Leisure Activities
  • Hiking & Nature Exploration
  • Arts & Crafts Activities
  • Music
  • Field Trips Around Our Community
  • Exercise

RESPITE & FAMILY SUPPORT

  • Weekend Care
  • Before & After School Care
  • Summer programs
  • Transportation
  • RN on Staff

LIFE SKILLS & INDEPENDENCE

  • Academics
  • Personal Care & Hygiene
  • Housekeeping
  • Daily Living – Cooking
  • Community Integration – Shopping

Don’t just take our word for it,
see what others are saying about SKSF’s Zach’s Place:

Ready to Enroll or Have Questions?

The 2015 best of colorado springs logo featuring children with special needs and disabilities.

Zach’s Place at The Laurie Hillyard Family Center was voted 2015 BEST Childcare Center by The Colorado Springs Independent.  

FAQs About Zach’s Place

Will Zach’s Place accept my child who has been removed from other centers?2024-01-23T22:53:57-07:00

While we cannot guarantee placement, we make every effort to accommodate your family. We provide a loving and safe environment with trained individuals who concentrate in special needs and behavioral challenges.

Do you offer a discount for siblings who want to attend Zach’s Place?2024-01-23T22:53:43-07:00

Yes we do!  We offer a sliding fee scale based on your household income and will provide applicable discounts based on those determinations.

Support

A boy and girl, both with special needs and disabilities, giving each other a basket of flowers.

Ways to Give

A group of people posing for a support photo.

Volunteer

A woman multitasking with a credit card and a cell phone while caring for children with special needs and disabilities.

Pay for Services

Special Kids Special Families services are made possible from community support of time, talent and treasure. In order to ensure services remain available and that no one is turned away for the inability to pay, please consider a donation. All self-pay options are competitively priced and 100% of proceeds serve resource-limited individuals and families.

We accept various payments including, Medicaid, Sliding Scale Self-Pay, and all major credit cards.

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