Step by Step Child Care Center, Inc. started in 1994 in Gardner serving children 2 yrs - 12 yrs. It shared a space in the American Legion Hall, and then built its own facility in 1996. It expanded services to serve children 6 wks - 12 yrs old. The next location was in Diamond. That center was built for children 6 wks - 6 yrs and opened in April of 2000 with a capacity for 103 children. An addition was done the following year to bring the school-age program that was at the Coal City Elementary School to the Diamond center. Morris was the next location in 2002. The center was renting space in a strip mall to start, and then built its own building in 2007 with a capacity of 149 children. Step by Step Child Care Center, Inc. had another expansion in 2006 by adding an Ottawa location. That location is licensed for 59 children ages 6 wks - 6 yrs. In 2012, a second Ottawa location was opened with a capacity of 74 children, ages 6 wks - 12 yrs. old. In 2014, Step by Step began a before and after school program for the Coal City School District that is housed at the Early Childhood Center, Elementary School and Intermediate School with a capacity of 80 children. The corporation now has the capacity to care for 548 children at one time.