A Safe Space for Kids in King County 

April 30, 2026

On any given day, several children ranging in age from eight years to four months old, are playing happily and being well cared for at the Learn N’ Play Home Daycare in Maple Valley, Washington, a fast-growing commuter hub to Seattle. Their parents can work at their jobs with confidence, knowing their little ones are in good hands. 

“This is my calling. I thought about it and asked myself, what am I waiting for?” said Jawahir Ahmed, who opened Learn N’ Play a couple of years ago.  

She and her husband saved money to make the dream possible, but like most small business owners, they needed more funding. Jawahir’s own financial institution would not loan money for an in-home daycare. “Too risky,” they said. But Unitus Community Credit Union was able to help through the Credit Building Pilot Program. They knew Jawahir was working closely with an SBRN partner and approved a $15,000 Small Business Resiliency Loan (SBRL).  

“They helped a lot,” Jawahir says, excited that she finally had the money to build a kid-friendly classroom and learning space inside, and a safe outdoor playground. She also hired employees who help to provide nutritious meals and learning opportunities such as language, and development skills.  

Jawahir finds joy watching the children develop. Some of them come into the program not talking much, but within months of coaching from Jawahir, their parents, and their daycare peers, they become effective communicators. The goal for the younger kids is to make sure they are “Kindergarten-ready,” and for the older kids to have a safe, continuous learning environment. Earning their parents’ trust, she says, is everything. 

“There is nothing bigger than that, we are raising a human being. It’s a huge responsibility and an honor.” 

Learn N’ Play is exactly the kind of business that credit unions like Unitus are proud to support. 

“Supporting Jawahir’s dream to grow her in‑home daycare was a true joy for Unitus,” said Shawn Ohki, the credit union’s senior commercial loan servicing specialist. “Her dedication to the children and families she serves is felt in every part of her business, and we were honored to help her take the next step toward the future she’s building.”  

And The Future Got Brighter 

Once Jawahir paid back her loan, she received a matching grant, which she used to accelerate Learn N’ Play into its second year.  

That sure makes the parents happy. 

“Thank you is not enough,” a mother named Amy wrote in a recent holiday message to Jawahir. ” We appreciate you so much and we are so grateful that you treat our boys like your own.” 

Posted in Community Impact.