Kids On The Move

In 1984, Karen Hahne & Brenda Winegar, experienced a lack of support for their children with Down Syndrome.

Believing that we should expect a bright future for ALL children, Karen and Brenda started the “Up With Downs” Early Preschool—a volunteer, parent-run education program for young children with Down Syndrome. Karen and Brenda built a unique program that put parents in charge of helping their child meet developmental challenges, with support and education from each other and caring professionals.

Early Intervention Services Begin in 1986

In August 1986, Karen and Brenda took their vision to a new level by winning a state grant to provide comprehensive Early Intervention services to children with a variety of delays and disabilities. As a result, Kids On The Move, Inc. was incorporated as a nonprofit organization. The name was chosen to highlight the positive expectations the community should have of kids with special needs — that they have the potential to continuously grow and learn.

A New Home in 1992

In the early years, the organization lived up to its name by being “on the move” as it occupied the old Spencer School in Orem then moved temporarily to the old “Tech School” campus in Provo. In 1990, an open community meeting led to an unprecedented capital campaign to build a permanent location for Kids On The Move. This successful campaign led to the 1992 completion of a new building in Orem on the campus of Intermountain Healthcare’s Orem Community Hospital. At that time, Kids On The Move served about 50 families with a staff of six.

Child Care Services Begin in 1992

Not long after occupying the new building, Kids On the Move began a small Child Care program for 12 children, primarily to provide care to siblings of children coming to the center for services. The Child Care program became a fully licensed Child Care center and expanded over the years to our current 45 child capacity. In addition to serving children enrolled in KOTM developmental services, there is room to provide child care for some community and staff children. Child Care has provided a model of quality care in our community at competitive rates.

Early Head Start Added in 1998

In 1998, Kids On The Move received a competitive grant from the federal government to provide Early Head Start services to Utah County. The Early Head Start program is designed for first-time pregnant women and children under age 3 who live in poverty. From 1999 to 2009, Kids On the Move received funding to serve only 64 children in poverty in Utah County. However, in November 2009 the program was expanded to serve 164 children county wide. With this expansion, Early Head Start was able to offer center-based services to 32 children, and a full home-based program to 132 children throughout the county.

A Bigger Home in 2004

The rapid growth in population in Utah County led to a swift expansion of services and the number of families served annually. By 2002, Kids On the Move had grown to an average monthly enrollment of about 500 children served by 65 staff. The organization was bursting at the seams! Another successful capital campaign garnered support from individuals, businesses, foundations, and local governments. In September 2003, a newly expanded building was dedicated.

Library Expansion in 2006 and a New Satellite Center in 2008

Consistent with its philosophy that parents had a right to extensive information to help their children, from its earliest days Kids On the Move had a parent library, however modest. This important part of Kids On the Move has grown to a fully operational library that was re-dedicated in July 2006 as the Noorda Family Resource Center. In order to make services more accessible to the growing number of families residing in newly incorporated Eagle Mountain and a quickly developing Saratoga Springs, a satellite center in was completed on the site of Saratoga Springs Elementary School in western Lehi in November 2008.

Bridges Autism Services in 2010

In response to an explosion in the number of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Kids On the Move created a new program called “Bridges” to serve children ages 3-to-6 years old with Autism or similar disorders. Unlike other child development programs at Kids On the Move, this program is not backed by government funding. The Bridges program was developed to offer families flexible, affordable, effective services that help families get the support and education they need.

We Are…On The Move!

Today, Kids On The Move continues to provide high quality, comprehensive services to young children and families in our community. The board, the staff, volunteers and parents connected with our organization continue to expect a bright future for all children and are committed to our mission of supporting the development of young children and families.