“Just use my car, we’ve got three.” 

Balancing two part-time jobs with no car and having just immigrated, Jyoti Masurekar was shook by the kind gesture.

Masurekar is co-owner and director of Kiddin’ Around Coppell. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Marsurekar is significant in the center’s growth. 

Kiddin’ Around Coppell is a local drop-in childcare center. Over two decades, Masurekar has become a vital part of hundreds of families, though her journey was anything but easy. 

After moving from India to the United States, Masurekar found herself chasing both a job and a place to drop off her children. Ultimately, she landed the role of floor employee at Kiddin’ Around Coppell, earning $8 an hour and a place to drop off her kids – a win-win in her book. 

“I took the first job I got, I just wanted to work,” Masurekar said. “I didn’t care about anything.”

A few months after joining, she found herself juggling between two part-time jobs and taking care of her two children. Without having a car, commuting became a daily challenge. 

“I was without a car,” Masurekar said. “Previous owner Gina Jones just offered it to me, and she didn’t know me that well or anything.”

As Jones handed her the keys, Masurekar realized the heart and caring nature of staff and community at Kiddin’ Around Coppell. 

“I’ve seen how much they care,” Masurekar said. “I was just a poor employee at that time, I wasn’t even indispensable, but to see that amount of care from the owners you can see the culture, like being part of a village”

It was not just the employees that made her stay, but the sense of community that she felt.  

“Being around the kids made everything worth it,” Masurekar said. “It felt natural and interesting, it gave me a lot of energy, and I got more from the kids than they did from me.”

As Kiddin’ Around Coppell expanded to new locations, so did Masurekar’s roles as she helped owners with management of new locations, extending her impact over the company.

“I got to move location to location, meet different managers, different people, parents and see the impact Kiddin’ Around was making to the community,” Masurekar said. “I got to see people say ‘OK, I have to bring my baby tomorrow’ and they would come with a six-week-old. So I knew a lot of people depend on us.”

Mansurekar committed herself to the role, not just because she needed a job, but also  because she enjoyed it. Previously teaching elementary school in India, Masurekar was able to transfer her knowledge and passion at Kiddin’ Around Coppell. 

“Having a teacher’s background and a teacher’s mindset, I would try to include that into my activities during the day,” Masurekar said “This is a place where kids get to be kids, so they learn things about sharing, being kind and tolerant.

Her efforts did not just help the center expand, but her presence boosted the morale of staff at the workplace. 

“During my interview she seemed like a very general manager,” former employee Marianne Raminez said. “As I started working with her, you can tell she really enjoys being around kids, how much she loves her job, and the staff.”

Twenty-two years of dedication with the center did not go unnoticed by the previous owners, as she was given the opportunities to manage more centers.

“She was a blessing,” Williams said. “I know I was busy raising my own children, so she helped me run my business and take care of it.

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