Kinko’s Dedicates On-Site Child-Care Center at West Ventura Headquarters

Kinko’s Service Corp. showed off its new 5,500-square-foot child-care center Wednesday at a dedication attended by about 200 employees, public officials and business leaders.

The $750,000 center, next to Kinko’s new west Ventura headquarters, opened in May. It is attended by 90 children, two-thirds of them children of Kinko’s employees.

Paul Orfalea, who founded the nationwide chain of copying centers, said the center helps employees balance work with two other equally important areas--family and recreation. After the dedication, Kinko’s employees were given the afternoon off.

The company joins only a handful of other Ventura County firms that offer employees child care on the premises. Best known is the Ventura-based Patagonia, which designs outdoor wear.

Kinko’s center, called Little K-Kids, cares for children ages 6 weeks to 13 years. The building is divided into six classrooms staffed by 17 teachers and assistants.

Most days, Bambi Leonard, Kinko’s national account coordinator, spends her lunch hour at the center with her 7-month-old daughter, Kelsey, in the infant room, which is painted yellow and bordered by lambs.

“I enjoy the fact that she’s right here,” she said. “It’s one stop here in the morning. I can concentrate on work a lot better.”

Kinko’s subsidizes child-care fees for its employees. Full-time infant care costs $135 per week, but the Kinko’s employee pays only $87.39. For toddlers and preschool-age children, the weekly cost is $95 to $100, but company subsidization reduces it to $47.50 to $52.39.

The infant room is licensed for nine babies, and there is already a waiting list. The facility is licensed for 89 children. There are some spaces available for older children because some of those enrolled do not attend full time.