Ten years before Melissa Giambalvo even had children, the
Now the mother of two young boys, Giambalvo's appreciation for Apple Blossom Learning Center has only grown. Located at Boehringer Ingelheim's U.S. headquarters in Ridgefield, Connecticut, the center is owned and operated by the company and managed and staffed by KinderCare. Giambalvo's three-and-a-half-year-old, Oliver, has been attending since 2022, and her four-month-old, Harrison, just began after her recent
"I knew when I started that this site was available, and now as an employee actively taking advantage of it, it is an incredible difference-maker," says Giambalvo, a culture and scientific engagement manager with the pharmaceutical company. "It shows that Boehringer Ingelheim really cares for its employees and is walking the walk when it comes to maintaining work-life balance. They really encourage you to bring your whole self to work."
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Having a child care facility just steps away is great for all working parents, Giambalvo says, but is especially valuable for new parents transitioning back to work. It allows nursing mothers to be with their babies during the day, and the close proximity provides peace of mind for those who are away from their infants for the first time. An app provided by KinderCare sends updates to parents throughout the day.
"You don't have to pretend like your family doesn't exist between the hours of nine and five," says Giambalvo. "And you know every morning that your children are safe, that they are being cared for and that they are as close as they can possibly be."
Boehringer Ingelheim opened Apple Blossom in 2006 and currently has just under 100 children between the ages of six weeks and pre-K enrolled full time. It also provides after school programs and summer camps for kindergarten through sixth grade, part-time care and drop-in options. Parents pay a discounted tuition rate, and employees based elsewhere in the U.S. receive a reduced tuition rate at any of KinderCare's 1,500 sites nationwide.
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In addition to care and age-appropriate classes designed by KinderCare, catered meals are also provided by the same group that delivers food to the main employee building. The surrounding area is home to apple trees, wildlife and a solar farm, which provides the center with all its power.
"We consider the center a reflection of who we are as an organization and our commitment to our employees," says Renee Tehi, Boehringer Ingelheim's executive director of U.S. benefits and wellness. "KinderCare is unique, and this is truly a partnership around what we are looking to offer, what our parents are asking for and what KinderCare can bring — a commitment to education, not just care."
Giambalvo's older son currently takes part in a phonics class, a STEM program and a cooking class. Watching him develop through these types of experiences has been very rewarding, and the assurance of a strong educational foundation allows for time at home to be focused on bonding and creating memories versus supplemental school preparation, says Giambalvo.
"I know that job is taken care of, and probably much better than I could have ever done myself," she says. "I know coworkers who have sent their children to Apple Blossom, and by the time the children get to public school, the teachers say how beyond prepared they are. Not only do I feel he is learning and growing, I have that anecdotal evidence as well."
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KinderCare partners with employers to determine the best way to support their working parent population, whether that is through an on-site program or access to available centers in their community.
"Supporting employees as they become parents is important, and there's no better way to do it than to provide help with care," says Jessica Harrah, chief people officer at KinderCare. "For [working parents] to have a place where they can bring their children to work, drop them off, nurse them, have lunch with them — it's special. More companies are looking at it as part of their total rewards package that is going to help them attract and retain the best talent."
Giambalvo acknowledges the center's effect on retention as well, noting the connection she sees among the parents as well as the children and staff at the center each day.
"It gets mentioned more often than you'd expect that the best way to network at Boehringer is to have a kid and send them to Apple Blossom," she says. "There is a bond that occurs when you are dropping off your four-month-old and you have spit up on your shoulder, and you look around and so does the parent from IT, the parent from HR and maybe even the VP, because we are all sharing this common experience."
