
Mommy's
Imagination Station™
Where Imagination Meets Excellence
Every child deserves a golden ticket.
Every family deserves a golden path. Every dream deserves a place to grow.
Mommy's Imagination Station — Community-Based Early Learning Institution
Mommy's Imagination Station (MIS) is a NAEYC Nationally Accredited, STAR 4-rated, PA state-licensed 501(c)(3) nonprofit community-based early learning institution and Pittsburgh's #1 ranked early learning provider. Led by a Black woman founder, MIS delivers three core programs: early childhood education, out-of-school time enrichment including before and after school care and summer camp, and a Pennsylvania state-registered paid workforce development apprenticeship — alongside community-centered resources that strengthen families across generations.
As one of the only BIPOC-led, trauma-informed institutions in Western Pennsylvania to hold simultaneous NAEYC National Accreditation and STAR 4 — the Commonwealth's highest quality rating — MIS closes critical gaps in access to high-quality early learning and economic opportunity in a historically under-resourced and under-invested community, building an intergenerational pipeline from early childhood through adult workforce mobility.
✦ Ages 2–12 & Up to 13 with Active IEP
✦ Mon–Fri | 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM
✦ Year-Round
✦ Early Learning + Community Resource Center
✦ Hilltop-Rooted | Allegheny County-Wide
✦ Operating Since February 2020
✦ 300+ Families Served
✦ 500 Brownsville Rd, Suite 3 | Pittsburgh, PA 15210

Where All Kids Are Family
Award-Winning Excellence
Ranked #1 in Pittsburgh
Mommy's Imagination Station™ was ranked the #1 Early Learning Center in Pittsburgh PA, Allegheny County Region in January 2026 — powered by Google Reviews. We are the most sought-after and most-searched childcare center in the region.
Families across Allegheny County are searching for quality, trust, and excellence. They are finding MIS. Everyone wants to get their child a golden ticket — and this award is proof they know where to look.

Who We Are
We Are Not
Your Average Childcare Center
Mommy's Imagination Station™ (MIS) was founded Feb 2020 on a single belief: that every child — regardless of their zip code, family situation, or life circumstance — deserves access to extraordinary early learning. And every caregiver deserves a partner, not a system.
Located at the heart of Pittsburgh's Hilltop corridor, MIS serves children ages 2 through 12 and up to age 13 with an active IEP — and although we are rooted on the Hilltop, we serve families across all of Allegheny County. We are open every weekday, year-round, from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM — hours designed around the real schedules of real families.
We accept Child Care Works subsidy, CYF referrals, and private enrollment. We do not turn families away because of paperwork. We figure it out together. We are not a daycare. We are not a program. We are a movement.
Beyond early learning, MIS operates as a Community Resource Center for the families we serve — connecting them to support, information, and resources that extend well beyond the classroom. Because a child cannot thrive if their family is in crisis, and a family cannot stabilize if they have nowhere to turn. We address both.

Pittsburgh's Only Center of Its Kind
There are childcare centers in Pittsburgh. MIS is the only one that combines NAEYC National Accreditation, STAR 4 rating, certified trauma-informed practice, and a grassroots community center model — built specifically to give back to Black and Brown children and strengthen Black and minority families — by someone who grew up in the community, not just studied it.
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Rated #1
Rated the #1 Childcare Provider in Pittsburgh by Google, January 2026. Less than 10% of childcare programs in the United States ever achieve NAEYC National Accreditation. We did — because average was never the goal.
STAR 4
Highest in Western PA
Feb 2020
Operating Since
1,633+
Operating Days & Counting
300+
Families Served
2–13
Ages Served (IEP to 13)
6A–6P
Mon–Fri Year-Round
Our Founder
Tashanna Hall-Middlebrook
Founder & Executive Director
Tashanna Hall-Middlebrook grew up in a marginalized, low-income community in Pittsburgh where resources were scarce but her mother's work ethic never was. A single mother raising five children, she worked — sometimes two jobs at a time — to take care of her family. And through every long shift and every sacrifice, she gave each of her children the same unshakeable message: you have a golden ticket.
That message never left Tashanna. She knew what it felt like to be the child from the neighborhood the world underestimated. She also knew what it felt like to have someone look at you and see potential instead of limitation. She built MIS to be that someone — for every child on Pittsburgh's Hilltop.
In 2020, Tashanna founded Mommy's Imagination Station™ — and then built it into a NAEYC Nationally Accredited, STAR 4-rated, award-winning center while simultaneously launching a Pennsylvania State-Registered Apprenticeship Program. She created career pathways for the same parents and caregivers her mother once was. She builds what she needed. She creates what this community deserves.
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"My mother raised five of us alone and made every single one of us feel like we had a golden ticket. I founded Mommy's Imagination Station so that every child who walks through our door feels exactly the same way.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why the present is life's golden ticket 🎫 — filled with purpose, possibility, and the power to begin again."
— Tashanna Hall-Middlebrook, Founder & Executive Director
Year-Round


From This Community. For This Community.
Tashanna did not build MIS from the outside looking in. She built it from lived experience — as a daughter of the Hilltop, as a wife, as a mother, as a woman who refused to let circumstance define ceiling.

Our Mission
Why We Exist
To provide every child in our care with a safe, nurturing, imagination-driven environment rooted in gold-standard early learning — while equipping families and caregivers with the tools, training, and opportunity to build lasting economic stability and generational change.
Our Vision
Where We Are Going
A Hilltop community — and an Allegheny County — where no child's potential is limited by their circumstances, no family is left without support, and no caregiver is without a pathway forward. A community where the golden ticket is not rare. It is the standard.
Why MIS Stands Apart
Credentials That Back Every Claim
We do not ask you to take our word for it. Here is the proof.
🏅
NAEYC National Accreditation
The gold standard in early childhood education. Less than 10% of programs in the U.S. ever achieve it.
⭐
STAR 4 Rating — Pennsylvania DHS
The highest achievable quality rating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Western PA's finest.
📜
PA State Licensed — Operating Since 2020
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services licensed. Full staff clearances. Documented safety procedures.
🎓
Child Welfare & Protection — HarvardX
Certification through Harvard University Online Learning. We understand the systems and circumstances children come from.
🧠
Trauma-Informed Practice — CPD
Certified in trauma-informed practice. We respond to every child with consistency, structure, and compassion — not punishment.
🌍
Human Rights Education — USIDHR
United States Institute for Diversity in Higher Education and Research certified. Every child is treated with dignity.
✅
PA EITC Approved — Pre-K Category
Approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, Tax Credit Division under the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Pre-K program. Businesses and individuals can direct Pennsylvania tax dollars to support MIS — and receive significant tax credits in return.
✓ The first $10,000 donated is matched dollar-for-dollar in tax credits — a $10,000 donation = $10,000 tax credit; a $5,000 donation = $5,000 tax credit.
✓ Any donation beyond $10,000 receives a 90% tax credit — a $20,000 donation = $19,000 tax credit.
✓ The Pre-K donation cap is $221,111 , yielding a maximum $200,000 tax credit
✓ This is one of the most powerful corporate giving opportunities in Pennsylvania. Contact us to learn how your business can invest in MIS and receive your full EITC benefit.
💳
Child Care Works Subsidy Accepted
Financial hardship will not determine whether your child receives quality care. CCW approved.
📋
CYF Referrals Accepted
We accept referrals from Allegheny County Children, Youth and Families and all partner placing agencies.
Inside MIS
See The Imagination Factory
Real classrooms. Real children. Real learning. This is what gold-standard early childhood education looks like every single day at Mommy's Imagination Station™.


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📍 500 Brownsville Road, Suite 3 | Pittsburgh, PA 15210 | Schedule a visit — 412-532-4750, Ext. 1
Our Three Programs
One Center. Three Pathways. Unlimited Potential.
Step inside The Imagination Factory — MIS's core early learning program where every day is a structured, nurturing, creativity-centered experience. We combine the highest standards in early childhood education with a genuine love for children. The result is a place where kids actually want to be.
What Your Child Experiences
✦ Age-appropriate, developmentally aligned curriculum
✦ Structured routines that build confidence and reduce anxiety
✦ Creative arts, STEM exploration, literacy, and play-based learning
✦ Sensory-supportive spaces for emotional regulation
✦ Consistent, trusted caregivers who know your child by name
✦ Healthy meals and snacks
✦ Safe, stimulating, joyful environment — year-round, no gap in care
Child Care Works Subsidy Accepted
✦ Children ages 2–12 and up to 13 with an active IEP
✦ Private pay families
✦ Child Care Works subsidy families
✦ CYF-referred children
✦ Foster children and kinship care placements
✦ Families in transition or crisis
✦ School-age children during summers, holidays, OST, and breaks
Year-Round Commitment: We are open every weekday, 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, including summers and school holidays. Working families do not get summers off. Neither do we.

Program 01
The Imagination Factory
Gold-Standard Early Learning for Children Ages 2–12 & Up to 13 with Active IEP
"Where every single day is designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and lay the foundation for a lifetime."
🏭
In Willy Wonka's world, the golden ticket changed everything for a child who had very little. At Mommy's Imagination Station, that is not fiction — that is our daily work. The Golden Ticket Initiative is our specialized care program for children navigating foster care, kinship placements, CYF involvement, domestic violence recovery, and family crisis. Built on the understanding that these children are not broken. They are carrying weight most adults could not bear. They need stability. Consistency. Safety. And someone who does not flinch.
Who We Serve
✦ Children in foster care placements
✦ Kinship care families — grandparents, aunts, uncles, relatives who stepped up
✦ CYF-referred and CYF-involved families
✦ Children in domestic violence recovery households
✦ Families in transitional or temporary housing
✦ Parents in drug or alcohol treatment programs
✦ Teen parents connected to social services
✦ Children with trauma-related behavioral or emotional needs
What Makes Us Different
✦ Staff certified in Trauma-Informed Practice (CPD) and Child Welfare & Protection (HarvardX)
✦ Predictable daily routines that create safety
✦ Consistent caregivers — same faces, every day
✦ Sensory and calming spaces for emotional regulation
✦ Calm, structured behavioral support — no punitive discipline
✦ Direct coordination with caseworkers and behavioral health providers
✦ Attendance and behavioral documentation
✦ No shame. No stigma. No judgment.
For Kinship Caregivers:
You said yes when it mattered most. You stepped up without a roadmap, without enough support, and often without recognition. We see you. The Golden Ticket Initiative is for your family too. Call us — we will figure it out together.

Program 02
The Golden Ticket Initiative
Specialized Early Learning for Children in Foster Care, Kinship Placement & CYF-Involved Families
"Every child deserves their golden ticket."
🎫
You are already showing up for your family. Now let us help you show up for your future. The Golden Path Apprenticeship Academy is a full-time, paid, Pennsylvania State-Registered Apprenticeship Program developed in partnership with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . You earn a competitive wage while you train. You graduate with nationally recognized credentials. You leave with a career.
What You Earn Upon Completion
✦ Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential — the most recognized credential in early childhood education nationwide
✦ 12 Transferable College Credits through CCAC — applicable to any degree program of your choosing
✦ Competitive starting wage — paid from day one
✦ Direct hire opportunity at MIS — full-time or part-time
✦ Placement support with regional employer network upon completion
Program Includes
✦ Classroom instruction through CCAC - Online or In Person
✦ Hands-on training inside MIS- a License, NAEYC Nationally Accredited, STAR 4 Instititute
✦ Professional workshops and development sessions
✦ Mentorship from credentialed professionals
Your Path — Your Choice
What Your CDA + 12 Credits Opens
Path A
Early Childhood Leadership: Use your CDA + 12 college credits to pursue the Pennsylvania Director Credential — qualifying you for directorship and leadership roles in licensed childcare programs across the Commonwealth.
Path B
Go Anywhere: Your 12 college credits are fully transferable to CCAC or any participating institution. Apply them toward any degree or career pathway — human services, healthcare, business, education, or beyond. The credits move with you.
⚠️ If You Receive Government Assistance — Read This
MIS is a licensed and certified workforce development training center recognized by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Participation counts as a qualifying workforce development activity to maintain TANF, SNAP, cash assistance, and other state benefits. You do not have to choose between keeping your benefits and building your career. You can do both. Here.
🏠 The Parent Advantage
If your child is enrolled at MIS, they can remain in care while you complete your apprenticeship — in the same building. Child Care Works subsidy accepted. You are not choosing between childcare and career development. You are doing both at once. That is by design.

Program 03
The Golden Path Apprenticeship Academy
A Pennsylvania State-Registered, Paid Workforce Development Apprenticeship Program | In Partnership with CCAC & the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | Now Accepting Applications — Summer 2026 Cohort
"Start here. Go anywhere." | Adults 18+ | Full-Time | Paid from Day One
🎓
As Seen In
Press & Recognition
Mommy's Imagination Station™ has been recognized by Pittsburgh's most trusted media outlet for our commitment to quality, affordable, community-rooted early childhood education.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Featured Coverage · August 12, 2022
"Tashanna Hall's Affordable Childcare Service – Mommy's Imagination Station INC™ Offers Quality Care In Pittsburgh Hilltop Area"
Recognized as the first and only organization providing Early Childhood Education in the Pittsburgh Hilltop Area — and praised for staying open through the COVID-19 pandemic to serve families when they needed it most.
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What Sets MIS Apart From Every Other Center in Pittsburgh
There are other childcare centers in Pittsburgh. There is only one that combines NAEYC National Accreditation, STAR 4 quality rating, and certified trauma-informed practice — while rooting every program in grassroots, lived community experience, not just textbooks. MIS was built from the ground up to give back to Black and Brown children, to strengthen Black and minority families, and to serve as both an early learning center and a community resource hub — because our families deserve both. No other center in Pittsburgh holds this combination. None.

Governance
Board of Directors
Mommy's Imagination Station™ has been recognized by Pittsburgh's most trusted media outlet for our commitment to quality, affordable, community-rooted early childhood education.
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⚖️
Governed with Integrity
MIS is guided by a Board of Directors whose collective experience spans education, law, community development, and nonprofit leadership. Our board provides independent governance oversight, fiduciary accountability, and strategic direction — ensuring MIS remains mission-focused, compliant, and positioned for long-term growth.
Organizational accountability matters. MIS maintains active board governance in full alignment with Pennsylvania nonprofit regulations and our 501(c)(3) status. Our board meets regularly to review financials, approve policies, and uphold the highest standards of community stewardship.
What Families Say
Real Families. Real Impact.
★★★★★
"Great childcare near me on Brownsville Road. Our daughter receives caring interaction from certified professional teachers, plenty of peer play, and fun learning every day."

Carlos Merez
Google Review · Translated from Spanish · 5 months ago
★★★★★
"Mommy's Imagination Station has been such a blessing. My son comes home excited every day, and the staff truly treats him like family. Best childcare center in Pittsburgh, hands down."

Jasmine Roberts
Google Review · 5 months ago
★★★★★
"We love this STAR 4 center! The routines, homework help, and communication are amazing. Our daughter has grown so much socially since starting here."

Michael Brenton
Google Review · 5 months ago
★★★★★
"As a grandmother, I feel completely at peace knowing my grandson is safe, happy, and learning every day. The staff is warm, professional, and patient."

Denise Winston
Google Review · Grandmother & Kinship Caregiver · 5 months ago


The Movement
Turning Waiting Rooms
Into Golden Ticket Moments
MIS was built on the belief that no family should have to wait in line for quality care. Whether you are navigating the welfare office, a CYF referral, or simply searching for the best start for your child — your golden ticket is here. ELRC and Child Care Works accepted. No line. No barriers. Just quality.
This is not just childcare. This is a movement to ensure every Black, Brown, and minority child, family, or staff member — no matter their ethnicity, background, or race — across Pittsburgh's Hilltop and all of Allegheny County receives the gold-standard care and opportunity they deserve from day one. Minority means many things. Every family is welcome here.
Non-Discrimination Policy
MIS ensures childcare or employment in a non-discriminatory manner without regard to an individual's race, color, sex, age, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, or disability. As a licensed provider, MIS maintains non-discrimination in all services without regard to an individual's race, color, sex, age, religious creed, national origin (including Limited English Proficiency), ancestry, or disability.


Get Started Today
Give a Child Their
Golden Ticket
There are two ways to give. Both make a direct impact. Know the difference — and choose what works best for you.
✅
PA EITC Approved Pre-K Contribution
Approved by the PA Dept. of Community & Economic Development, Tax Credit Division under the EITC Pre-K program.
• First $10,000 = dollar-for-dollar PA tax credit
• Beyond $10,000 = 90% PA tax credit
• Cap: $221,111 donation = $200,000 tax credit
⚠️ State document required. EITC contributions must use the official PA state contribution document. Email us directly — we will send you the form. MIS will issue your official receipt upon completion.
💛
General Donation — 501(c)(3) Nonprofit
MIS is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 84-4202264). Give with confidence — no state form required.
• Up to 100% tax deductible to the extent permitted by law
• Any amount welcome — every dollar matters
• No state document needed
• Receipt auto-generated to your email immediately upon completion via PayPal
👇 Scan the QR code or click Donate Now below
Not sure which option fits your situation? Email info@mommysimaginationstation.org and we will help you choose.

Mommy's Imagination Station™ is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. EIN: 84-4202264
