THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 5, 1996 TAG: 9606040091
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LORI A. DENNEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 70 lines
Care for kids.
That's what JoAnn Bell and Ingrid Robinson were looking for last year for their own children when they came up with an idea to help other parents in the same situation.
Because of their own difficulty finding child care, Bell and Robinson decided to form a business - Care For Kids Advertising - and came out with a child care providers' directory that helps parents consider many child care options.
``I knew other parents had to be going through the same thing I was trying to find the right day care,'' said Bell, president of Care For Kids Advertising. ``I really wish this was available when I was looking.''
The directory is a listing of home-based child care providers and centers listed by Hampton Roads cities, area, days and hours of operation. The directory also mentions provider particulars such as whether it offers before- or after-school care, meals or activities.
Providers pay $35 for a four-month listing in the directory, which is distributed to area supermarkets, baby consignment shops, coin-operated laundries and wherever else parents may venture.
The women also sell advertisements in the directory to other businesses, such as day-care centers. The ads can be bought in quarter-, half- and full-page size. The cost is $65 for a full page, $45 for a half and $35 for a quarter page. The fee to reproduce a business card is $15.
The first Care For Kids edition hit the stands in March, and the women hope to publish an updated version in July.
The directories are free to the public.
The women had 200 directories printed in their initial run and hope to have 500 to 1,000 printed for the next. Advertisements for the July issue must be in by June 15.
Bell and Robinson spent the last year researching the idea and approaching child care providers.
``Everyone we've talked to said it was a great idea,'' said Robinson, vice president of the company and mother of two.
``We're doing this for parents,'' said Bell, mother of three. ``We recommend, we don't refer. So, we're leaving it up to parents to get the directory and do their own interviews from there.''
Both women are full-time workers for the Norfolk Community Services Board. The business idea came from Bell after she spent several exhausting weeks searching for day care for her 3-year-old daughter, Monique.
Originally, the plan was to come up with a list of providers. Before the women knew it, they were into a full-fledged directory. They went to city agencies for lists of child care providers, called people who advertised child care in the newspaper and networked among other mothers to come up with a list of folks to contact.
Bell, a secretary, has worked with Robinson, an education specialist with the board, for the past three years. When Robinson had her son, Bryceton, nine months ago, Bell approached her about creating the business.
``I feel there's a real need for this,'' said Robinson, a Kempsville resident. ``If it were any other business, I may not be as interested in it.''
Owning her own business has always been Bell's dream. She's dabbled in Amway, Avon, Mary Kay and other such business franchises.
``I want to take this as far as it will go,'' said Bell, a Rosemont Forest resident. MEMO: Care For Kids Advertising can be reached by calling 467-9764 or
499-0577. Or, write to Care For Kids Advertising, 5649 Princess Anne
Road, Va. Beach, Va. 23462. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
JoAnn Bell, left, and Ingrid Robinson, co-workers at Norfolk's
Community Services Board and friends for the past three years, spent
the last year researching and developing the idea for their Care For
Kids Advertising directory, which is free to the public. by CNB