Moore Daycare Raising Money For Storm Shelters

A daycare destroyed by a tornado in Moore two years ago is in a new location with the same old need.

The owner of A Step Above Learning Center is raising money for storm shelters so the kids do not have to shelter in the restroom again if another twister hits.

“This year has been really stressful with all the tornado warnings, tornado watches, we start getting stressed out and the parents run and grab their kids because they know all we have is a bathroom here,” said Abby Larsen, Owner and Director of A Step Above Learning Center.

This severe weather season, the kids and staff feel helpless knowing a restroom is the only storm protection they have, the same as they had two years ago.

“When I look back, I don't know how we all survived and with such minimal injuries,” Larsen told News 9.

In 2013, 23 of the daycare workers and children rode out the May 20th tornado in a small bathroom near 149th and Western.

Their building and the entire shopping center were leveled.

“We were just buried in the building,” Larsen explained. “We all survived, which was fantastic, but we did end up with some injuries and this time we want to prevent those,” she added.

Larsen said she and the other teachers do not want to chance it again above ground.

They found another building for the business, just a mile from the old daycare in order to serve the same families, but it does not have a storm shelter either.

The daycare has started a "Go Fund Me" page to raise $7,000 to pay for three underground shelters.

Larsen already has a place picked out for the shelters near the playground, now she just needs the money for them.

“It's just an extra insurance policy that would help emotionally, physically, all of us,” she said.

The daycare has raised $1,400 so far.

Click here if you would like to donate.