Working With Local Government
Active engagement with MNCPPC, Prince George's County DPIE, and the Maryland Office of Child Care. Public supporter of CB-35 and the county's Roadmap to Universal Child Care.
Coming Soon · Camp Springs, Prince George's County, MD
A New Kind of Childcare Is Coming to Prince George's County.
Branch & Bloom Learning Academy. Premium early learning, family support, and community programming, opening soon.
Prince George's County families deserve access to childcare that is safe, enriching, and built for real working parents. Branch & Bloom Learning Academy is being built right here in Camp Springs, backed by The Better Childcare Foundation and led by local founder Tony Williams. Join the interest list to be first to know when enrollment opens.
Now Forming
Interest List Open
A Prince George's County Moment
Built for this moment.
Prince George's County is rewriting childcare. We're already building the model.
Council Chair Krystal Oriadha has introduced CB-35 a pending bill that would let childcare centers open in commercial spaces across the county and streamline DPIE permitting. Her Roadmap to Universal Child Care is reshaping how families access care here.
Branch & Bloom Learning Academy is exactly the kind of project this moment is being built for: an underused commercial property reborn as premium early learning, family programming, and an outdoor community market built by a neighbor, for the neighborhood. We are public supporters of CB-35, and our own plans are currently pending DPIE review.
Project Status & Community Updates
Where We Are Today Full Transparency.
Branch & Bloom Learning Academy is not yet open. We are actively working through three concurrent government review tracks and preparing every detail of the academy. Here is exactly where we stand.
Status last updated: June 2026 · Updated by the project team as milestones are reached.
Overall Project Progress
28%
Aggregate completion across all 8 project milestones from property acquisition through grand opening.
- Step 1Complete
Secure Property Location
Secured 6705–6711 Old Branch Ave, Camp Springs, MD, through a lease arrangement with the Donald Smolinski Family.
- Step 2In Progress· MNCPPC
MNCPPC Site Plan Review
Active review with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
65% - Step 3In Progress· Prince George's County DPIE
DPIE Building Permit Review
Plans under review with the Department of Permitting, Inspections & Enforcement.
35% - Step 4In Progress· Maryland Office of Child Care
Childcare Licensing Review
Licensure application in preparation with the Maryland Office of Child Care.
20% - Step 5Upcoming
Fundraising & Grants
Community campaign and grant initiatives through The Better Childcare Foundation.
- Step 6Upcoming
Early Registration Launch
Interest list converts to early registration once licensing milestones clear.
- Step 7Upcoming
Soft Opening
Limited cohort welcome and operational dry-run with founding families.
- Step 8Upcoming
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting
Public ribbon-cutting and community celebration at Old Branch Ave.
What This Means for Your Family
We are currently working through three simultaneous government review processes: site planning approval with MNCPPC, building permit review with Prince George's County DPIE, and childcare facility licensing preparation with the Maryland Office of Child Care. These reviews must be completed before renovation can begin and before we can legally operate as a licensed childcare center.
Once all three approvals are in hand, we will move to renovation, staff hiring, and enrollment in that order. Families on the interest list will receive personal outreach before any public enrollment opens.
Percent completion reflects internal project tracking estimates and is updated as agency reviews and project milestones advance. Updated regularly by the project team.
Why This Matters
Prince George's County Has a Childcare Gap. We're Closing It.
Thousands of families in Prince George's County are on waiting lists, making impossible choices between work and their children, or settling for care that doesn't reflect what their child deserves. Quality childcare is not a luxury. It is the foundation of a stronger workforce, stronger families, and a stronger community. Branch & Bloom Learning Academy is being built to meet that need, right here on Old Branch Avenue in Camp Springs.
1 in 3
Working Parents
in Prince George's County report difficulty finding quality, affordable childcare.
6,000+
Children Underserved
Estimated unmet demand for licensed childcare seats in the county.
$0
Adequate Options Nearby
The Old Branch Ave corridor has no premium early learning center within walking distance.
Statistics based on publicly available Maryland childcare access reports and Prince George's County data.
What We're Building
Premium Childcare. Community Programming. Family Support. All Coming to Old Branch Ave.
Branch & Bloom Learning Academy will serve infants through school-age children with a curriculum built around early literacy, emotional development, and kindergarten readiness. Extended hours are designed for working families. The Better Childcare Foundation will fund scholarships to ensure no family is left out. And the Better Childcare Project will surround the academy with community events, family programming, and a long-term neighborhood investment plan.
Early Learning Academy
Infant through Pre-K programs with a modern, research-backed curriculum, opening soon at 6711 Old Branch Ave, Camp Springs, MD.
Before & After School Care
Extended hours starting before 7am and ending after 6pm, designed around the real schedules of working parents in Prince George's County.
Family Support & Scholarships
The Better Childcare Foundation will fund tuition scholarships, family events, field trips, and teacher training, making premium care accessible.
Community Programming
Free community events, an Old Branch Market, and a 3 to 5 year neighborhood investment plan rooted in Camp Springs and the surrounding community.
The Transformation In Progress
See What We're Building.
Drag the slider to reveal the planned transformation of 6705 to 6711 Old Branch Ave in Camp Springs, MD. Interior renderings are conceptual and illustrative. Real renovation photos will replace them as construction progresses.
Trust & Credibility
Built to Earn Your Trust Long Before Opening Day.
We are asking families, donors, partners, and elected officials to believe in this project before the doors open. That belief is earned through how we operate not what we promise.
Maryland Regulatory Commitment
Designed from day one to meet and where possible exceed Maryland Office of Child Care licensing, life-safety, and facility standards.
Family-First Mission
Built around the real needs of Prince George's County working parents: trusted care, healthy ratios, and early learning that prepares children for kindergarten and life.
Community Impact Goals
Backed by The Better Childcare Foundation. Scholarship access, neighborhood revitalization on Old Branch Ave, and long-term family programming are core to the plan.
Radical Transparency
Every milestone approvals, permits, fundraising, hiring is published here as it happens. No hype. No surprises. No premature claims of opening.
About the Founder
A Neighbor Building What the Neighborhood Needs.
Tony Williams grew up understanding that access to quality childcare changes the trajectory of a child's life and a family's future. As a local entrepreneur and founder of Blackbird Property Management, Tony is using his own property at 6705 to 6711 Old Branch Ave in Camp Springs to build what Prince George's County needs most: a premium, community-rooted early learning center backed by a foundation with staying power.
Get Involved
There's a Place for You in This Mission.
Whether you're a parent securing your child's spot, a business ready to invest in the community, a government leader looking for a strong partner, or a neighbor who wants to help, we want to hear from you.
For Parents & Families
Join the childcare interest list to secure your child's place and receive personal outreach when enrollment opens.
Join the Interest ListFor Partners & Sponsors
Partner with Better Childcare as a community sponsor, workforce partner, health partner, or program funder.
Become a PartnerFor Government & Civic Leaders
Download our community impact brief or schedule a meeting to discuss how this project supports county goals.
Meet With UsFor Volunteers
Help us run family events, community outreach, and programming in Prince George's County.
Sign Up to VolunteerStay Informed
Get Project Updates Straight to Your Inbox.
Construction news, licensing milestones, registration announcements, hiring, volunteer days, and the moment we open. Pick what you want to hear about.
Childcare Interest List, Now Forming
Be First. Reserve Your Child's Spot Today.
You'll receive personal outreach before enrollment opens. No commitment required.
Your information is private and will only be used to contact you about enrollment. We do not sell or share your data. View our Privacy Policy.
Beyond the Classroom
6705 to 6711 Old Branch Ave. One Address. A Whole Community Plan.
The Academy is just the beginning. The Better Childcare Project is designed to transform Old Branch Avenue into a hub for family life, community commerce, and neighborhood investment in Camp Springs, MD.
The Property
Three parcels at 6705, 6709 & 6711 Old Branch Ave, Camp Springs, MD.
Old Branch Market
A planned recurring community market for food, local vendors, and family programming.
Long-term Neighborhood Vision
Our 3 to 5 year plan for community events, workforce support, family programming, and neighborhood revitalization along Old Branch Ave.
Be Part of Better Childcare in Prince George's County, From the Beginning.
Whether you're a parent, partner, sponsor, or neighbor, join us before we open.