News Release: 9/1/2026

GENERATIONS GROWING TOGETHER: METHODIST VILLAGE TO OPEN ARKANSAS’S FIRST INTERGENERATIONAL EARLY LEARNING CENTER

Innovative Fort Smith project will bring children and older adults together while creating a new model for senior living, early education, and workforce development

FORT SMITH, AR (September 1, 2026) What if a senior living community could also become a place where children take their first steps, discover their first books, plant their first gardens and develop some of their first friendships with people nearly a century older than they are?

That is the vision behind The Village Early Learning Center, an innovative early childhood education center being developed on the campus of Methodist Village Senior Living (MVSL) in Fort Smith. Believed to be the first intergenerational Early Learning Center of its kind in Arkansas, The Village will intentionally bring young children and older adults together as part of the children's educational experience and residents' daily lives.

Expected to open in January 2027, the Center will serve up to 136 children from infancy through age five and will be open to families throughout Fort Smith and the River Valley.

“We have an opportunity to change the way we think about both early childhood education and senior living,” said Melissa Curry, CEO of Methodist Village Senior Living. “Our residents still have so much to teach, give and share. Our children bring joy, curiosity and an entirely different kind of energy. Instead of separating these generations, we are creating a place where they can become part of one another's lives.”

CHANGING THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT SENIOR LIVING

The impact of The Village could extend far beyond Methodist Village.

Senior living communities, nursing homes, and assisted living communities across Arkansas continually look for meaningful ways to enhance quality of life, increase engagement, and give residents opportunities for purpose and connection.

Research on intergenerational programming has shown promising benefits for older adults, including improved well-being and social inclusion, while helping younger generations develop more positive attitudes toward aging.

At The Village, those connections won't be occasional visits. They will be intentionally incorporated into campus life through reading, gardening, music, art, storytelling, celebrations, nature activities, and shared learning experiences.

“We don't want our residents to simply watch children through a window,” Curry said. “We want them involved. A retired teacher can read to a classroom. A resident who loves gardening can help a child plant a seed. Someone who has lived 90 years can tell stories about a world a four-year-old has never known. Our residents have a lifetime of knowledge, talents, and love to give, and they deserve opportunities to continue giving.”

Methodist Village Senior Living is a proud member of the Arkansas Health Care Association (AHCA) and values the Association's leadership, advocacy, and commitment to strengthening long-term care throughout Arkansas. As part of the state's long-term care community, MVSL believes innovation must include not only providing exceptional care for today's residents but also finding new ways to improve quality of life, strengthen the workforce, and prepare senior living for the generations to come.

Rachel Bunch, Executive Director of the Arkansas Health Care Association (AHCA), believes innovative approaches to resident engagement and workforce challenges are increasingly important to the future of long-term care.

“The future of long-term care requires us to continue thinking creatively about how we support both the people who live in our communities and the people who care for them,” Bunch said. “Intergenerational programs have the potential to bring additional purpose, connection, and energy into senior living while creating meaningful experiences for children. The Village Early Learning Center is an exciting example of how a senior living community can look beyond traditional models and create something that benefits residents, families, employees and the greater community.”

QUALITY EDUCATION WITH SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY

The Village will be much more than childcare. Guided by the philosophy “Rooted in Care. Growing in Knowledge,” the Center will use a Charlotte Mason-inspired educational approach emphasizing rich literature, nature, exploration, character development, and hands-on learning.

Tasia Taylor, Director of The Village Early Learning Center, will lead its educational programming and team.

“We want every child to feel known, loved, safe, and excited to learn,” Taylor said. “Our children will receive high-quality early education, but they will also experience something very special: the opportunity to build relationships with another generation. They can learn kindness, patience, respect and an appreciation for older adults simply by growing up alongside them.”

SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND STRENGTHENING ARKANSAS'S WORKFORCE

The Village Early Learning Center is a community Early Learning Center, not an employee daycare. It will serve families throughout the River Valley, including military and veteran families, healthcare professionals, first responders, educators, and families working across industries throughout the region.

At the same time, access to dependable, high-quality childcare can be an important tool in recruiting and retaining employees, particularly in healthcare and long-term care, where workforce shortages remain a significant challenge.

“When a nurse, CNA, therapist, or other healthcare professional can't find dependable childcare, it doesn't only affect that family; it affects the employer, coworkers, and ultimately the people who depend on their care,” Curry said. “If senior living organizations can become part of the solution for families, we have an opportunity to strengthen our workforce while also enriching the lives of the people we serve.”

Bunch added, “Workforce challenges in long-term care require innovative solutions. Supporting employees means understanding the barriers they face outside the workplace as well. Access to quality childcare can be an important piece of recruitment and retention, and projects like The Village

Early Learning Center demonstrate how organizations can think differently about supporting today's workforce while preparing for tomorrow's.”

ONE CAMPUS. TWO GENERATIONS. A NEW POSSIBILITY FOR ARKANSAS.

The approximately $2.3 million project will transform the former Bost building on Methodist Village's 30-acre campus into an early childhood learning environment with 13 classrooms, approximately 20 team members, and capacity for up to 136 children.

For Methodist Village, however, the ultimate goal is larger than opening a building. It is demonstrating what senior living can become.

“For decades, society has often separated our oldest and youngest generations,” Curry said. “We're asking a different question: What could happen if we intentionally brought them back together?”

The answer could influence far more than one campus.

The Village Early Learning Center has the potential to demonstrate how nursing homes, assisted living communities, and other senior living organizations can become even more connected to the communities around them, places where older adults continue to teach, mentor, contribute, and build relationships while children develop an understanding that aging is a natural and valuable part of life.

“If what we create in Fort Smith inspires another senior living community in Arkansas to bring children and older adults together, then the impact becomes much bigger than Methodist Village,” Curry said. “We often say it takes a village to raise a child. We believe it takes every generation to make a village, and maybe this is an opportunity to help redefine what senior living can look like for the next generation.”

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About Methodist Village Senior Living

Methodist Village Senior Living is a nonprofit, faith-based senior living community serving Fort Smith and the River Valley since 1961. Its 30-acre campus provides independent living, assisted living, memory care, long-term care, rehabilitation, education, and community programs. Methodist Village is a proud member of the Arkansas Health Care Association and shares AHCA's commitment to advancing quality, innovation, and excellence in long-term care throughout Arkansas.

About The Village Early Learning Center

The Village Early Learning Center is an initiative of Methodist Village Senior Living in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Opening is anticipated in January 2027. The Center will provide early childhood education for families throughout Fort Smith and the River Valley while creating meaningful opportunities for children and older adults to learn, grow, and build relationships together.

Mission: To provide wonderful life experiences that enable our residents, children, and their families to lead full and enriching lives.

Vision: To exceed the expectations of our residents, parents, and families while inspiring hearts and minds.